Small Gods
by A. L. Anderson
Summary: Destiny stalks the tales of man like a shadow on his trail. The battles he fights, the trials he endures, all he was destined to win or to lose. Yet the irony remains thus, Only he who wars against his destiny will be remembered in the end, until the End.
1. Destiny Talks

**Author's Note: **Naruto is no obssession of mine. I simply enjoy the thought of a friendship as deep as these two share. I have used the plotline from the manga until chapter 331, the most recent. After that point the game is mine,

Blanket Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way shape or form. Its creation is the sole property of its creator. I simply terrorize the characters therein.

---

_**Destiny stalks the tales of man like a shadow on his trail. **_

_**The battles he fights, the trials he endures, all he was destined to win or to lose.**_

_**Yet the irony remains thus;**_

_**Only he who wars against his destiny will be remembered in the end, until the End.**_

_**That is the way of the Hero.**_

---

For two and a half years now he had had the strength to do it, to bring the bastard back, beaten to a bloody pulp but alive. Yet he never set a foot on that ground, Uzumaki Naruto, not once. It suddenly seemed like the universe that contained Sasuke as a person had vanished somehow, along with the fiery will of the Jinchurriki. He would not, and could not go after the Uchiha prodigy again, not for a long while anyway. His reasons were his own, as he had stated on a number of occasions when asked. Sakura was the only one who had an inkling of what those reasons truly were. That guess was blurry at best though. Naruto was Naruto she figured, and he would tell her when the time came.

As usual, life went on in Konoha, leaf-nins trained, graduated, advanced. All except the time weary figure of a blond ninja who spent his days on numerous missions which he uncharacteristically told no one about. Naruto had passed the Chuunin exam a year and a half ago but had repeatedly avoided the Jounin position to everyone's concern. Tsunade had finally taken a stand six months ago and chewed the irate young man out to within an inch of his life. Apparently that is all it takes to jump start a training frenzy in Uzumaki Naruto. However bodily harm threatened by the strongest woman on Earth can be quite the incentive so the theory is up for grabs. Half the village had heard the furious shouting of the Godaime Hokage as she verbally skewered the poor boy to the wall.

"Shape up or ship out ninja boy! You want to be Hokage someday? Then act like it!"

Naruto did shape up. Though not in the way that most would expect. He disappeared for hours at a time. Sometimes entire days went by without anyone seeing hide nor hair of the blond shinobi. Months of this kind of behavior wrought quite the change in his mannerisms. Fire was back in his eyes again, but somehow, contained. One day he asked Tsunade for permission to leave the village as a favour for a little while. When she asked him what for as he stood facing her in the Hokage office Naruto's only response, with that shining grin of his was, " to tame a beast." Tsunade blinked sipped a cup of sake and then said, "Alright then, get to it."

Naruto was stunned for a second and then shook himself free of the moment.

"What?" He thought he was in for a struggle to get her consent. "You'll let me go?"

Tsunade smiled and nodded.

"You've been so focused lately that I doubt I'd be able to keep you here even if I wanted to." The Hokage was unusually happy. Finally he was showing that spark again.

"So go! Your mission, Uzumaki Naruto, as of this moment, is to go out and do whatever it is you need to do!" Tsunade handed a form of permission to Naruto which he grabbed enthusiastically and stuffed into his jumpsuit. The boy's smile could have lit up the whole of Konoha at the moment, it was shining so brightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you Tsunade Baa-Chan! Thank you!" He screeched with some of his old hyperness. Tsunade had a feeling that quality of his personality would never go away. Now all she needed to do, she thought as she watched her precious one zoom joyfully out the door, was explain to the council why in seven hells she was letting the Jinchurriki, the demon vessel of Konoha go away without any definable reason at all.

---

Naruto's glee at being able to leave was public knowledge within minutes. At least for most people with ears it was. He bounced from rooftop to rooftop with a candor that had been omnipresent in his younger years. Now that he was 16---well, the world had grown tolerant and generally ignored his random outbursts these days. The first person to take any significant notice to the blazing happiness of the young shinobi was one Hatake Kakashi. The sliver-haired sharingan user was crouched on a rooftop reading the latest edition of Icha Icha Paradise as per his usual custom.

"Kakashi-sensei! Sensei! Guess what!" Came the warning cry.

Kakashi's one visible eye trailed up to watch as the orange clad human-rocket of Konoha literally barreled into him at speeds that the average man would cringe at. Luckily Kakashi was accustomed to becoming the target of Naruto's 'happiness' and neatly sidestepped the springing youth. Maito Gai would have been very proud to see such youth; if it were not for the fact that seconds later Naruto became very well acquainted with the brick wall that had decided to make a most unwelcome appearance behind the sighing Jounin.

"Oww…" Came the faint groan from the less than happy teen. Peeling himself off the wall Naruto whirled around and pointed unsteadily at his one-time teacher.

"You did that on purpose!" He said angrily. Kakashi shrugged.

"There was a bee on my book, so I had to flick it."

Naruto didn't buy it.

"LIAR!" He exclaimed in the age old fashion that he and Sakura were accustomed to when it was painfully obvious that their sensei was fibbing…again.

"Anyways," said Kakashi, "what's all the commotion about?"

Naruto's mind backtracked to its earlier mode of inspired joy. Kakashi could almost hear the click.

"Oh yeah! I asked Tsunade Baa-Chan if I could leave the village for a time and she said yes! I can go out on my own Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto whooped and punched the air. The eternal child in him would never die, but Kakashi's eyebrow raised in mild curiosity that masked concern.

"Oh?" The Jounin asked blandly. "And why do you want to leave the village so badly Naruto?" The young man stopped smiling.

"Is it…Sasuke?"

Naruto's expression fell into a serious visage.

"No," he said softly. "Not Sasuke…"

Kakashi's eyebrow raised even higher at that.

"No? What then eh?"

Naruto's eyes grazed the ground with a guarded quality that Kakashi had almost never seen until recently. It was that look that the volatile teen had been sprouting more and more often as of late that disturbed the Jounin the most. It was about as un-Naruto-ish a look as Naruto himself could wear. It was in those moments that his resemblance to the late Yondaime Hokage was breathtakingly startling, and painful. Kakashi knew in these small instances of life, more than ever before, Naruto's likelihood of becoming Hokage was solidifying at a rapid pace. It was frightening.

"I have to do something," The Kyuubi vessel stated, a breath above a whisper.

"Something that I can't involve you guys in, not this time. Not even Jiraiya can help me."

Kakashi's blood almost ran cold; he had a feeling what Naruto would be trying to accomplish. As his former sensei he wanted to scold the young-man till hell come high water. As his comrade on many an occasion Kakashi also knew that this was a challenge that Naruto would have to face alone, for his own safety, and pride.

"I'm sorry," Naruto began, "I-"

"You don't need to explain yourself to me," interrupted Kakashi. "I won't stop you, but I want you to be careful alright? Make sure to say good-bye to everyone important before you leave. Don't leave room for regrets."

Naruto smiled at that.

"Yosh!" He shouted happily as he leapt away over the house tops. "I won't forget! Thank you, Kakashi sensei! Take care!"

And with that he was gone, off to tell the rest of his small world that he'd be leaving them for the second time in his life. Kakashi returned to his book but couldn't focus as full-heartedly as he had before.

_'Take care…Naruto.'_

---

Sakura didn't need him to shout her name enthusiastically. She didn't even have to see him to know he was present. Naruto was like a force of nature in that sense. The slightest mention of him would tell a person he was there. That, she figured, is why hiding, for him at least, was the hardest shinobi skill to master.

"Sakura-chaaaan!" He yelled while skidding to a stop outside her hospital center door. In recent years Sakura had become one of the most sought after medical-nins next to the Hokage Tsunade herself, not to mention the second strongest woman on Earth.

"Yes, Naruto?" She sighed in exasperation without looking up from her work. When he was this hyper it usually meant trouble or something that had dire pointlessness written all over it. Naruto pouted.

"Aw, don't be like that Sakura. I just came to say, well, goodbye before I leave."

Sakura looked up in surprise.

"You're leaving? Why? Another mission this soon after your last one is a little unbelievable Naruto."

"No, nothing like that." He said sheepishly with a hand behind his head. "I'm leaving on my own this time. And… I probably won't be back for a while. So I wanted to say good bye while I still can."

Sakura chuckled at that.

"Geez," she said laughingly. "You'd think you were about to go off into a life or death battle."

Naruto gave his trademark grin, teeth wide, ear to ear.

"You could say that," he chuckled. "I was hoping you'd tell the others for me after I leave. I only managed to find Iruka-sensei, Lee, and Hinata. She's still weird you know. I can't figure why but she turns red and then she faints every time she sees me these days."

Sakura smirked.

"Oh I'm sure you'll understand someday," she snickered. "Until then, where do you think you'll be heading?"

Naruto put a hand to his chin in thought.

"You know, I hadn't really thought about that." He said.

Sakura was not surprised, and said as much.

"Really Naruto, You can't just run off without a destination in mind! This is exactly the sort of thing that gets you into so much trouble all the time! Think!"

Naruto saw the punch coming before she swung it, and a good thing too. He stared wide-eyed and wigged-out at the crater Sakura had managed to create in the otherwise solid concrete wall.

"Really," he said with a shaky voice, "Sometimes, Sakura, you're scary." '_Note to self.'_ He thought. _'Sakura packs a mean right hook. Yeee!'_

The young woman in front of him just shrugged.

"I guess I haven't learned to control it that well yet." She said matter-of-factly. "Tsunade is a good teacher, but I have my own temper to worry about, let alone your own carelessness. So where are you going to go, Naruto?"

In pensive thought Naruto stood for about a minute. Where _could_ he go? It wasn't as if the world opened him into its arms exactly. Who could he ask to let him stay in their land? Who…It struck him.

"Gaara!" Naruto snapped his fingers. "That's where I'll go! To Suna village it is then!"

Sakura nearly punched the unsuspecting boy again out of sheer irritation.

"To Suna? Why, of all the places on Earth would you go to Suna? I know you're friends with Gaara, Naruto. But he _is_ the Kazekage, don't you think that just popping up out of nowhere is going to be a little less than welcome? Besides that, Suna is just a wasteland of sand and wind. Its completely barren!"

Naruto nodded in agreement.

"Exactly," he said. "That's why its absolutely perfect for what I have to do. Miles of nothing is just what I need right now. Take care, Sakura!" He turned to leave suddenly and, for no other reason than he had put it through far too much abuse over the years, Naruto's orange and black jumpsuit ripped from shoulder to waist. Rrrrrip!

"Aw man!" He groaned. "Now I'm going to have to buy another one."

Sakura was very amused.

"Well it just goes to show," she said jokingly. "You're a growing boy."

Naruto groaned again.

"Don't let Sai hear you say that," he said unhappily. "He'd start going on about how other parts of me _aren't _growing."

Sakura stifled the urge to laugh like a maniacal hyena and retorted.

"In that case you'd better hop to it ninja-boy. And take this med-kit with you." She handed him a case of ointments, bandages and the like. "Knowing you, you'll have yourself turned into a pile of bloody hamburger in no time. Whatever it is you're doing out there its probably stupid and I am **not** going to be responsible for it!"

Naruto just smiled and hugged her in thanks.

"Hai, Sakura. Thank you."

Sakura turned a light shade of pink and hugged him back.

"You take care of yourself," she said quietly. "I won't be there to patch you up when you decide to do something foolish again."

Naruto nodded grimly.

"I will," he said. And with that he let go of his long-time team member and walked out the door carrying Sakura's gift.

"I'll write to you guys!" He yelled back. "I won't forget! I promise!"

Sakura smiled sadly.

_'I know…you won't.'_

---

After everything but the kitchen sink was stuffed into his travel bag Naruto barely made it out his front door with the heavy pack weighing him down. It was quite a sight to watch him, like some deformed yellow turtle, slunking forwards at a snail's pace. Many people laughed and he just grinned at some of the more crude remarks as he made his way to the front gate. He was used to it. The attitude of the older generation towards him was fading however. As the years flew by so did the lives of the people whose world had been so badly affected by the attacks of the Kyuubi that was sealed inside him. They never forgot, but the people of Konoha were strong ones, and life had to continue, no matter their feelings. That was the Shinobi way; bear your burdens, and move on. Naruto had some problems with that policy, but that was Naruto. He had his own "ninja way", and he stuck to it, no matter the cost to himself.

Once at the front gates he noticed that the guards on duty were two of the testers that had been at his Chuunin exam. He waved at them awkwardly from under the hefty pack and handed them the permission form Tsunade had given him. One of them had a wry look on his face as he surveyed the teetering back-pack and then the form.

"It looks like everything checks out," he said. "You'll be leaving for an indefinite amount of time…The Hokage actually signed this?"

Naruto scowled.

"Of course she did! See that right there?" He hobbled over to point at Tsunade's signature. "Only the old hag writes like that!"

The guard still stared at him dubious of the form, wary of the bright yellow pack that threatened to squash everything with a three foot radius of the young-man before him.

"Your shoulder is ripped." The guard observed distastefully.

"I **know**!" Naruto fumed. The guard just shook his head.

"Alright," he sighed. "You can go. God knows why you want this Naruto. There are perfectly good places to train in and around the village."

Naruto just shrugged and would have said, 'Not for my kind of training. Mine is super hard!'; but he just grunted this time. After all that he had done for the village you'd think that they would trust him at least a little more. But some, he figured with a sigh, would never be able to get past the 'Evil Kyuubi Roadblock', no matter what he did. He just let it go, like always.

"I'll see you guys later!" He shouted brashly and trotted off down the dusty road towards a future that not even a sharingan master could predict.

---

Thousands of miles away, in a hollowed mountainside, another young man awoke from a fevered dream that featured the one person he wanted most to forget entirely. Shaking his raven hair from his eyes he struck out at the ceiling angrily to dispel the memory of those perfectly clear blue eyes staring at him, staring through him. Dust and plaster showered down on his reclined form. Didn't he sever that bond?

Damn you Uzumaki Naruto.

I hate you.


	2. Rain Away Walks

---

It was raining again. The sky had darkened to a muddled gray hours before and the water was making a mess of the dirt packed road. Naruto's shoulders sagged under the immense weight of his pack as he trudged along. Why, why had he taken so much with him? It wasn't smart. He could easily be attacked with this much dragging him down. The only consolation was that nearly all of him stayed dry due to the enormous dimensions of the pack. He was surprised that he hadn't keeled over in exhaustion days ago when he'd first started out on this miserable trip. But that was the nature of the young man. Endurance was his most prominent quality. Even if the rest of the world laid down and gave up he would still be looking for a way out, fighting against all the odds. Luck seemed to follow Naruto wherever he went, like a patron guardian. (Which is perhaps the reason why Tsunade has no talent for gambling whatsoever Naruto had all the luck.)

The more he walked in this wet weather the more his legs felt like lead. He was annoyed. The rain was annoying. Getting stuck in the muck was annoying. Getting annoyed was annoying.

"I hate this!" Naruto shouted out from under the pack. Somehow the verbalization of his irritation wasn't as satisfying as he thought it would be. He bowed his head and sighed. There was no point in wasting precious energy, or getting sick for that matter. He'd find a shelter nearby, hopefully. Trudging along with his sodden pace Naruto's mind swirled with memory. Rain was good for memory. It made you think of things that usually took the back shelf of the brain. Mostly unpleasant those thoughts were, and that was good. They reminded him of his goals, and why it was so important not to forget himself.

There was the day Sarutobi-sama was killed; when Sasuke…left; the time Sakura refused to speak to him for a month after he announced he was no longer going to chase Sasuke; the scorn of the villagers; the death of Haku and Zabuza; many things went through Naruto's mind. So much memory, so little a world it dwelled in. Naruto smiled ruefully. He spotted an outcropping of rock ahead. It would do, for a shelter. Luck, whatever it might be, was a fickle thing. You didn't push luck or it shoved back. So you took what you got and you dealt with it. Naruto shrugged the pack off his shoulders and plopped down in the damp soil under the rocks. Life was everything, and so was dying. So he lived. Naruto lived as well as he could. Luck gave him a good mind so he could remember the bad for the better, and a larger heart so he could understand why. Naruto had the 'mysterious power' called good humor, so he understood; because he was a good person (as luck would have it), he was given the largest amount of obstacles in life as possible.

He grinned.

He could live with that.

---

Lady Luck and Goddess Nemesis must have been having a grand old time up in the heavens, because all hell was pouring loose. Naruto had fallen asleep a few hours ago in order to regain some energy for the rest of his journey. There was only one day left until he crossed over into Suna territory but…

"Why am I soaking wet!?" His disbelieving voice reverberated through the rock hollow. Sometimes it just didn't pay to rest, especially when the wind has a habit of shifting the rainfall in the direction of a previously dry (damp) area. To be blunt, during his nap the wind reversed the fall-direction of the rain smack-dab into Naruto's half-cave.

He plucked himself up with disgust. He was sixteen, he should know better. His previous good humor had dissipated with, it seemed, all the heat in his body as well. He was freezing. Teeth chattering, hands shaking, Naruto shouldered his pack once more. It settled onto sore muscles. He grimaced, and sneezed. Lovely.

"Heh, well that proves I'm still an idiot." Naruto grumbled. He realized full well what that symptom meant in a place like this. Stupid, idiotic, gah! Being cold was easily remedied. Having a cold was not. Out in the wilderness there was no place to rest properly without physical strain. He was tired still. Even for a few hours of sleep there was hardly any difference in his energy levels. Hoo ha! Big surprise sleeping out in the rain. What had he been thinking…He could take a knife to the stomach and be right as---never mind, he'd be fine the next day. Give him sickness and things would get bad, really bad. It was the one thing that Naruto loathed above all loathsome things. He **hated **being sick. No time for training when you're sick.

If only he had some medicine to take care of this mess. Eh, medicine? Sakura was a medic-nin. Sakura gave him something before he left. Sakura gave him a medical kit. The medical kit was in his pack. Naruto slapped his forehead. It hurt. Once again sloughing of his pack Naruto bent down and rummaged through it. Ramen (food, wonderful food!), ramen, more ramen, ramen again, sharp things, soft things (sleeping bag and tent, bah!), kunai, ---med-kit!

"Thank you Sakura!" He shouted happily. One med-kit down, one cold to go, far away if possible. Naruto set the kit next to the pack and opened it. There were the ointments, which he noticed with some surprise had the name Hyuuga inscribed on the top. Hinata must have offered to help put the kit together, she was the only Hyuuga clan member who would have even touched anything belonging to him (besides Neji). Naruto felt a small smile grace his face. It was nice to know she cared, even if he didn't know her that well. Next to the ointments were a mesh of surgical silk thread and slim needles for stitching open wounds. Antiseptic rested between two bottles of cough medicine. That was all he needed. Grape or plain? Naruto didn't like grapes. He uncapped the plain medicine and sniffed at the mouth of the bottle. It was a nasty smell. Scrunching up his expression he poured out a capful and hocked it into the back of his throat. The nasty smell had a nasty taste. Naruto decided not to take anymore of the syrup, for now at least. His nerves jittered for a moment in reaction to the awful tang on his tongue.

"Bleh!" He spat out. Naruto hated taking medicine, but he hated being sick even more. So he rode out the vile medicine without further complaint and repacked the kit. That was the end of that potential fiasco for the moment. Tomorrow would tell whether or not he was still in danger of being ill or not. Naruto lifted the monstrous back pack, again, and eased it onto his aching shoulders once more and set off into the slowly lightening rain.

He swore there was a bit of blue sneaking out from under a cloud.

---


	3. Son of Suna

---

Suna, the shinobi village of sand, was hidden in the Wind Country. It had been a long time since it had seen a single drop of rain, three months to be exact. Gaara was concerned and mildly overjoyed at the moment as he stared over the tops of the village. He was concerned that so little rain had fallen the last time, and that it was slow in coming again. He was very pleased with the news he had just received from a Konoha courier. Encoded so that only he, the Kazekage's kohl lined eyes could read it was a letter from Konoha's Hokage in Gaara's still hand. The Hokage had it on good authority from a certain trustworthy source that a certain ninja from Konoha would be visiting within the next week for some time. Given that this certain ninja was very rash and oft-times impolite she (the Hokage) had taken it upon herself to pre-inform the Kazekage of this shinobi's arrival. She hoped he would not cause too much trouble, and if the Kazekage saw fit to send the ninja's sorry behind back in a basket the Hokage would be most supportive.

Gaara combed his sandy red hair with a steady hand. Sand scattered to the floor. There was only one person the Hokage would speak of in such glowing tones. Gaara shook his head slowly and chuckled lowly; a new action for him, though not unwelcome, it felt good to laugh. His brother and sister would have been happy to see it. The only person who inspired this much of a reaction from Gaara on a regular basis whenever they were around was a loud-mouthed ninja by the name of Uzumaki Naruto.

The history between the two young men was a difficult one to unravel. There were parts of it that could not be told to anyone due to the life-threatening nature of the contents. What was known however was that after meeting Naruto, Gaara's silent violence had disappeared. In its place stood the mild tempered person that now all of Suna called Kazekage, their leader. Many still feared that Gaara's mindless blood lust would return someday, once again robbing him of sanity. That was an impossibility however. The demon inside of him was gone forever now, taken by the Akatsuki organization. He did not miss it. The only notable difference had been a slight decrease in chakra stamina which he rebuilt quickly on his own.

The people of the village had truly cared about him when it was announced that he was in danger, he respected that fully. Gaara made a vow that day to become strong for those people. He was the Kazekage, and as such he could not let himself fall to slackness for a moment. 'To protect something precious.' Naruto said those very words a long time ago, before Gaara's demon had been forcibly removed, before the treachery of the last Uchiha. It had been a very long time indeed.

Gaara still wondered about the Uchiha sometimes. He neither cared for the man nor considered him any great part of his existence. Mentioned in Naruto's presence however, the shadow of the Uchiha would descend with a vengeance. Vengeance from the Avenger, as he was called among the hidden villages. A prodigy gone rogue was the Uchiha Sasuke, and he blackened Naruto's mind at the edges. For that reason only did Gaara feel a small anger towards the Uchiha. Naruto's happiness was a vital thing. It lived and reached out in a curious way to the most endarkened of souls, Gaara's own included.

Gaara flicked away his train of thought. Naruto would be arriving tomorrow by the letter's account. There would be no need for dwelling on past events that needed no dwelling upon. Naruto would be arriving tomorrow. Gaara would make sure that no darkness shadowed the glare of Suna's desert halls, or the mind of his friend in soul and battle. Naruto would have peace here, Gaara would repay it bit by bit. To be given peace was quite a thing as Naruto had given Gaara so long ago. Peace of mind to protect his people as the Kazekage should. Dying was a small matter in the line of his duty. Having died once before Gaara no longer feared death. So in eternal gratitude Gaara would repay peace, even if it killed him.

---

Morning found a scuffle at the gates of Suna. The guards had caught a bedraggled beggar that looked and smelled like a wet animal that had rolled in the mud. The beggar was misshapen and clothed in a torn suit that had probably seen better days before most of Wind Country had become a desert. The beggar shouted enough to wake the dead, which was exactly what was needed when trying to fruitlessly rouse the Kazekage from his slumber. After being an insomniac for most of his young life Gaara completely enjoyed the blank hours of nothing that sleep provided. There were no waking nightmares of torture and assassination. No demon whispering to his half formed consciousness. His existence was no longer in danger of being consumed by that demon. There was however a lingering crossness in his mood for anyone who dared to wake him. That is why when Gaara was rudely startled from sleep by a stream of blaring epithets sprouting from the direction of the town gate, he became very grouchy.

Hell does not need to freeze over in the wake of Gaara's wrath, it has already begun to crumble. The maid that had been trying to stir him out of bed was cowering in a corner. Anywhere but in the path of Gaara's eyes was a good place to be. He paid her no heed.

Sweeping out of his chambers in the tan night-cloak he usually wore Gaara's footsteps sounded sharply over the noise at the gates. In the streets where others had been awakened the people stepped hurriedly aside for him. Gaara's eyes sparked and flashed with emerald fire. On a stick, he had decided, would be the best way to roast--alive, whoever was making the racket.

"Put me down you idiot!" The blaring voice demanded of the guard that held it. Gaara's steps slowed. Something familiar was here.

"I said-- hey don't touch that! Hey! GAARA!" The owner of the voice squabbled with the guard before calling out to the stunned Kazekage in recognition.

"Gaara! Am I glad to see you! Could you tell this overgrown ape to let go of my pack? It hurts to be held up like this! (Not to mention embarrassing.)"

A giant of a man had a firm grip on the back of the filthy thing that had called out to Gaara. Suspended from that grip the thing called out again.

"Gaara? Hey! Can you hear me or what? Don't tell me you've gone deaf in two years. Geez…"

Gaara's gaze flew wide. Under the dried muck and mire were hints and splotches of a shredded orange suit. The mud caked hair atop the beggar-thing's head was matted and blonde. What was most unmistakable were a pair of aquatic cerulean eyes, bright with mischief.

"What shall I do with him Kazekage-sama?" The guard addressed Gaara politely. Gaara's head dropped into his hand. To be put in this situation…

_'Repay peace, remember that.' _Gaara thought to himself annoyed.

"Bring him to my office." Gaara said cleanly. The guard half bowed with the beggar still gripped in his mammoth hand.

"As you wish." He said respectfully.

Gaara turned sharply and led the way back to his quarters in the Kazekage's mansion.

"Gaara! O-oi Hey! What's going on?! OI! GAAARAAA!" The beggar-thing shouted in frustration and confusion while swinging like a captured monkey from the giant's hand. Gaara winced, albeit very slightly. It was going to be a long day.

---

Several dunks in a washbasin and a new set of desert robes later the beggar-thing became a much more presentable Uzumaki Naruto. Feathery blonde hair that was free of the clodded dirt that had weighted it down before was again defying gravity in a mass of sunray spikes. Naruto' skin, now clean, glowed tan under the loose robes that hung in great waves over his stocky frame. At sixteen years of age a piece, Gaara and Naruto were vastly different, and very much alike. Gaara stood a full head above Naruto's late blooming height. Naruto did not like that and stood with a stubborn look on his face. Gaara watched him; eyes squinched closed, lower lip protruding, Naruto was the picture of childish disposition. Gaara swallowed a snort. For all the chaos that the young man caused, to see him like this again after all that time, Gaara felt amusement seep into his annoyance.

Although they were from opposite villages, were physically and psychologically different in every way, they shared a common pain. The depth of being completely alone and rejected by the world that had made them, the Jinchurriki. The demon vessels for the hidden villages. They were supposed to have been the perfect human weapons, tools of the shinobi made for war. Those plans had been rendered useless however. It was discovered the not only was the host to a tailed demon prone to insanity but that a complete merging of the two was impossible. When merging commenced the demon was uncontrollable. The human host all but disappeared, their souls were consumed and their bodies contorted to unimaginable proportions.

Naruto was lucky to have escaped insanity, only having to live with the complete void of family and love in his life. Gaara was not so fortunate. From the day of his birth until the day of his death Gaara was cursed with a creeping insomnia. If he had slept for even the smallest of times his personality would've be eaten by the demon within him. There were nine 'tailed' demons in all. Gaara had been host to the one-tailed incarnation of sand, Shuukaku. He could still remember the clawing of the raccoon-spirit biting at the edges of his consciousness. He nearly shuddered.

Naruto was a special case in the history of Jinchurriki. He had never once lost his mind unless under the influence of the demon's chakra. It was a telling testament to Naruto's renowned will that he had not once given up all hope, as Gaara had, letting himself drift to the tune of the demon's whim. The Kyuubi was the nine-tailed fox demon that resided within Naruto, and being the nine-tale it was the most powerful and most crafty of all the demon spirits. That Naruto could stand there with that stubborn look on his face astounded Gaara to no end. It was amazing, because that was _Naruto _maintaining that grumpy silence and not the beast within.

Naruto couldn't take it any more. Silence was not his bag any way.

"WHY-!", he began in a very loud voice, "did you do that!? It was em-**bar**-essing to be carried by that, that, gorilla!"

Gaara let out a puff of air.

"Put yourself in my situation Naruto. I am the youngest Kazekage to ever exist, probably the youngest among all of the Kages combined. I cannot show lenience to anyone who shows up at the front gates looking like a drowned animal. If I were that sort of leader what respect would my people show? What would happen once the other Kages heard of my behavior? It would send a message. 'The Kazekage is easily manipulated,' by a beggar no less."

A small smile graced Gaara's lips before they settled into a serious line.

"I am not to be controlled by anything or anyone." He said sternly.

" I am a Kage Naruto, I took this position in place of my father to protect this village. Because I am my father's son the people respect me, because I am strong the Kages fear me, because this world is a cruel place respect and fear cannot easily be traded for pity or familial relations. Remember that you also want to be one of these Kages Naruto. Not just any whim can be catered to. To be a Kage…there will be things you will not want to do, and things you want that you can never have again. So keep this in mind next time you come knocking at the gates of Suna, bring an extra set of clothes."

Naruto blinked, once, twice.

"That," he said, "Is the weirdest thing I've ever heard you say. You feeling okay?"

If Gaara were the type to strangle another person after being annoyed he most assuredly would have. Instead he sighed, long and fruitlessly. Naruto was Naruto was Naruto. Nothing ever changed that. Not time. Not distance. Not anything.

"Why have you come?" Gaara asked slowly. Although he did not regret Naruto's presence, he did wonder why it was that he had come. The letter from Konoha's Hokage had not specified the details.

"Well," Naruto began. "I came to collect a favor from you."

Gaara's brows raised at that. One of Naruto's hands went up to rub sheepishly at the back of his head.

"I know this is a bit of a long haul, but I need a lot of space to attempt what I'll be doing in the next while. The Northern Desert outside of Suna is perfect. I was hoping you could give me permission?" Naruto's eyes pleaded.

"And what is it you will be doing?" Gaara said seriously. Whatever Naruto did, he did it in spades. Gaara would have to be careful.

"I'm…" Naruto trailed off hesitantly. He let go a gush of air. "Well, I'm going to… Try at least, to beat the Kyuubi."

Gaara's eyes slid closed. This was no small favor. It was a monster.

"You realize what you're asking from me?" He said gravely.

"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "I know." Tension filled the air. Gaara broke it.

"That puts this village in danger Naruto, you know that. I can't grant you this without a fail-safe in place. If something goes wrong, I need to be able to protect these people." It was the truth, they both knew that.

"That's why I have this." Naruto produced a small scroll. He unraveled it. In the center was a small marking, cut off as if a second half existed elsewhere. Naruto pulled up the left sleeve of his robe.

"That," he said quietly, "is a death mark. The activation sequence is described in the scroll."

Gaara surveyed the marking on Naruto's forearm with grim interest. It was a reverse of the design on the paper. This was…

"Life jutsu." Gaara said remarkedly. "I thought that the last of the specialists died when Chiyo gave up her life-force."

Naruto shook his head.

"There was one other person who knew about it." He said. "The Yondaime Hokage had some pretty interesting files kicking around. I figured the bastard had to have more of those oddball jutsus other than the one that sealed that _thing _inside me. The break-in to the private library wasn't too hard. The old woman is still scratching her head over who did it." Naruto laughed humorlessly.

"It figures," he said, "that the name of this stuff is 'Life' when all it seems to give is death."

Gaara could only agree in his mind. The world was strange. He placed the scroll down on his desk.

"If this is what you want, you have my permission," he said coolly. "On the condition that I never have to use that scroll."

Naruto grinned wildly and said,

"Count on it!"

Sometimes our demons make us stronger, sometimes they weaken us. The strongest of all have mastered them, and only the gods live without them.

Naruto would become stronger, on his own.


	4. Way of the Wind

Two weeks out in the naked sun had taught Naruto one thing; never curse the rain, you might not see it again.

It was very, very hot. The ground cracked beneath his feet when he walked. Scavenger birds circled in the sky and Naruto scowled at them. He was lying on the ground, star-fished on his back.

"I'm not dead yet ya buzzards!" He shouted to the sky. "Go away!" It was no use. The birds simply were not scared of a speck of lunch on the ground. Two weeks had not brought much progress other than one very hungry, thirsty, tired, sun-burnt young man. Naruto had nearly used up all of his supplies and the ointment in one of Hinata's jars. It soothed the sunburn's stinging immensely. He would have to remember to write to her when he sent letters back to Konoha, a nice thank-you, yup.

Naruto had blisters on the soles of his feet no ointment could cure. Trench foot he'd heard it called before, Sakura had told him. Though usually only soldiers on the field got it, he was pretty sure he had trench foot. What else did you call massive water filled blisters? Bubbles? Balloons? Baboons? Oh great! He was delirious too. Chucked to the loony bin far beyond his years.

It was high noon, the worst hour of the day to be laying out in the sun. The plain was a huge frying pan, he was an egg, fried and crispy. Now Naruto knew what food felt like as it sizzled on a grill. None too pleasant. He knew it wasn't smart. He was too tired to stand. Exhaustion creeped into his system and clouded his judgment. Suddenly a fierce wind kicked up and dust began to stir violently over the plains.

"What the!" Naruto sputtered. "What is this?"

The wind died down. A great suction in the air pulled at Naruto's skin and desert clothes. Sand whipped southwards and an abrupt darkness fell over him. He looked up towards it and saw…

"Aw, Hell no!"…The biggest wall of free flowing sand he had ever seen since Gaara's 'Desert Coffin' in his first Chuunin exam. The storm was advancing rapidly. He had no time to think. Put all things in pack, put pack on back, run. And run he did, faster than he ever had in his life towards the northern rock plateaus. They were huge monolithic structures, pock-marked with caves and whirling shapes. Those rocks made Naruto uneasy. Until now he had avoided them purposely; now they were his only hope for survival. His running was hampered by the enormous dimensions of his pack. If he was any kind of a proper ninja he would have left it lying in the dirt. Naruto was far from proper however, and completely disregarded the notion. Nothing, touched **his **ramen, not even the high and mighty sand storm. Nyah!

The wind howled menacingly and tore at his robes with swirling claws.

Maybe he should… Just run!

Pain lanced up Naruto's legs from his bleeding feet. The blisters had burst. Blood and water flowed from the gooey wounds and mixed with the blowing sands. It clotted horribly under his soles and chaffed at the already raw skin. It was agony. Gods how he yelled. The storm was close behind him and the cliffs were so far away. How could he keep running?

The distance between Naruto and the flat plateau wall was becoming closer, and so was the storm. Sandwiched between the two incarnations of nature Naruto realized he had a problem. Where in the rocks could he go? The nearest fissure was---twenty meters to the right! He dashed for it madly. Feet shocking the ground and his nerves with palpitating staccato pain and thunder. Insanity followed in his wake, the breath of the storm chased after him with lunatic glee. He swore he could hear a cackling on the wind. At the last moment, before the blazing wall of sand crashed into the rock face, Naruto plummeted into the fissure and stumbled blindly around a corner.

The storm wailed and screeched a bloody gale. Cheated of its prey it wraithed and scoured against the plateaus mindlessly searching for, something, it had forgotten. Naruto's breathing came in long, short intakes and exhales. He was half relieved, half scared out of his wits. He had encountered bad weather before, but this took the cake! In a few moments shock took over and his world faded to a black memory.

---

Sunset came, went, and night fell over the scored surfaces of the plateaus. The storm had long since passed yet sand rustled as if blown by the wind. There was none.

Someone watched the sleeping form of a teenaged boy as he slept below the cliff, in the shadows. They stood and descended the sheer cliff of the fissure with ease. There was no sound as they bent, giant in hooded robes against the starlit sky, to let deft fingers ghost over the feet of the youth. Unnatural light filled the fissure long before dawn ever came. Someone worked in absolute silence and assassin worthy stealth. Naruto never felt a thing.

---

Naruto awoke, not for the first time in his life, to a very disconcerting situation. His now tattered robes were hanging the wrong way. The morning was cold and he yelped when rope unexpectedly chaffed at the bare skin of his wrists. He was bound, hand and foot, hanging upside-down ten feet from his pack on the ground. The rope was wrapped securely around his feet, dangling him from an outcropping ledge. He panicked.

"Ahh! What is this! Lemme down! Hey He-ey! Who did this eh?! I'll wring your necks! Lemme down! OW!"

Naruto's thrashing had earned him a face-plant trip into the side of the cliff. While cursing the blasted ways of nature blood flowed profusely from fresh grazing on his face.

"Damn it!" He shouted. "Why does this sort of thing always happen to **me**!"

He tried, unsuccessfully, to bend his body upwards to reach the knots holding his feet. Gravity pulled him back down sharply. Naruto felt very sick from this. His vision blanked with gray prickling behind the lids as blood rushed down into his head again. He hung there for an indeterminate amount of time until his stomach announced, loudly, that it needed food. Grraaagh!

Naruto's mouth morphed into a pained wavering line.

"Aw man," he whined. "I'm hungry!"

If there is one thing Naruto truly dislikes missing it's food, at any meal of the day.

He began to wriggle back and forth to check for weaknesses in the knots. He found none, though pebbles showered him from where the rope scraped the ledge.

Naruto hung, dejected but stubborn. What could he do? More loose dirt trickled into his face and up his nose. He sneezed and then snorted violently.

"Hey, quite that!" He shouted vainly. A great clod of earth broke off and smacked him in the mouth.

"Bleh. Oi, that's it!" He spluttered indignantly under the dirt. Naruto then ungracefully attempted to bend himself in half again to reach the knots at his feet. Swing once, grapple at air, swing twice, miss barely, swing thrice, contact! Naruto's hands, though bound managed to grasp the very edge of the knots. He remained there, grinning at accomplishing this much, until the muscles in his arms and abdomen began to shake. Naruto wouldn't be able to hold on for long. Without thinking, he stretched his neck out as far as it could strain and anchored his teeth into the fibers of the rope on his hands. He began to gnaw at it.

The knot was expertly tied, tight and clean. Naruto's jaw was aching badly by the time he had one loop loose. Both limbs and stomach were painfully cramping; if he didn't get down soon the blood in his head could cause him to pass out again, or worse, brain damage. He couldn't have that! There was too much he needed to do.

Ignoring the agonizing burn of his muscles and skin, Naruto bit the rope again and puuuuuull-ed.

It came free!

A flood of tingling warmth washed through the nerves in Naruto's wrists as the rope slipped away. His breathing was becoming laboured though, as he struggled to hold onto the foot knots. Tugging frantically he found to his dismay that not only were the knots on his feet tighter, they were far more intricate than the one that had bound his hands.

"Gaah!" He shouted. "I need another set of hands!" That would certainly take care of his problem.

Another set of hands.

Another set of hands?

Kage bunshin…

"That's it!" He shouted in revelation. Carefully releasing the knot on his feet Naruto put his hands together and performed the seals to make shadow clones. He made two. Puffing into existence on the cliff above him, he shouted up to the clones. "

"Hey untie me would ya? The faster I get down, the sooner we eat."

The clones saluted him in kind.

"YOSH!" They shouted and set to work on the knots. It took over twenty minutes but they managed, smoking out of existence once their task was done. He gained a chakra foothold on the side of the cliff and then made his way down effortlessly. The ordeal was over, for now. The clones short memories slid into Naruto's brain and he noted the intricacy of the knot. It was something he'd only seen in advanced manuals. Whoever had tied him up (the bastard), was no amateur.

He reached the bottom of the fissure with a new problem plaguing his thoughts. Who would string him up but leave him unharmed otherwise, suspended over his very own pack no less.

Naruto bent to pick up the fallen pieces of rope that had come off his bonds; no use in wasting perfectly good rope! That was when he noticed something strange. Pinned to his pack was a paper with neat and precise handwriting scrawled across its surface.

'_To the fox,' _it stated.

_'Laziness is the parent of all stagnation and weakness. These are the seeds of destruction. A single blade of wind can cut the mountains to sand. Sharpen your claws or I will use mine.'_

"What the hell?"

It was unsigned. It was odd. It was a threat, not unlike Tsunade's scolding. Naruto plopped down in the dust. Whoever had tied him up meant it as… a lesson? Where was the teacher?

"HEY!" He shouted as loud as he could. "BASTARD! JUST BECAUSE YOU LEAVE SOME CRACKED LETTER LYING AROUND DOESN'T MEAN I'M GONNA LISTEN!" Whether or not someone was listening was up to them.

Naruto scowled and huffed as he grabbed his pack and rummaged around inside to find something to eat. It was then he noticed two other very odd things. His supplies had been replenished and his feet had been treated and dressed. So immersed in getting down from the cliff beforehand he hadn't noticed the obvious lack of stinging in his soles.

"WHAA-AAT!?"

The sound of his stupefied amazement echoed off the sides of the fissure walls and up onto the plateau.

In the brilliant morning sun, someone smiled.


	5. Conscience Contemplation

**Author's Note:** Just a little shamless self promotion. I do like reviews, they help me know what it is that I am making mistakes in. Plus encouragement helps. But you knew that already. On with the game.

---

'_Laziness is the parent of all stagnation and weakness.'_

Oh no, he wasn't going to fall for this.

_'…stagnation and weakness.'_

No, he was not going to let his conscience guilt trip him.

_'…weakness.'_

Dammit! He was not!

_'Laziness is the parent of all stagnation and weakness. These are the seeds of destruction. A single blade of wind can cut the mountains to sand. Sharpen your claws or I will use mine.'_

"ALL RIGHT! I get the message."

A few hours of debating with himself had brought Naruto to this…Standing at the edge of a cliff trying to decipher the meaning of the anonymous note.

'Laziness makes weakness,' okay he could deal with that. Just work twice as hard as usual!

'Seeds of destruction,' well no surprise there, if you didn't train you were food for the fish.

'Wind cuts the mountain,' now that was confusing. Wind just blew things around, not like his Rasengan which actually blew things to smithereens. Just making it had been a hassle. Over two thousand shadow clones trying cut one simple leaf in half with chakra. And after that he'd had to cut and entire waterfall! It had been one of the singularly most exhausting experiences of his life. In the end it had come down to a 24 hour crunch because the Akatsuki had already been on their way to him. It was something he didn't particularly like remembering. Oh the results were fantastic but…what he had done to gain that strength, he could barely forgive.

Loss of control in the Kyuubi had spelled disaster and, when it had happened he felt his mind begin to crumble at the edges before all memory faded. When Naruto awoke from that nightmare, it was to a devastated wasteland that made the Northern Desert look like a paradise. Still he had perfected the Rasengan, something the Yondaime had never achieved. All with his own chakra, and not the Kyuubi's. Starting the day he gained that ability, he swore on his own blood that he would never again use the Kyuubi's chakra for any reason. He **would **suppress it. It was a difficult thing once he got used to the limited amount; but, over the years it had stretched with his growth, now almost equal in measure with the monster within. Almost, but not quite. He still had a little while to go, a little more stretching to do.

The Northern Desert was perfect.

Here there was, it seemed, limitless space to do whatever he wished. He reminded himself that only with great effort came great results. Something he had learned over time was that even the silliest seeming of exercises can bring about and advantage, _if _you take them seriously. Naruto was out here, on his own so he had to make his own exercises, his own discipline. He started with a run, nothing works out right if you don't limber up a bit first. Across the arid plateaus he ran, jumping the clefts that appeared here and there. There were scrimpy shrubs clinging to the rocks, wind blasted survivors of violence and time. There were no leaves.

Naruto's bandaged feet stamped the ground regularly in a rhythmic pace. They were just another reminder that while he felt alone, he wasn't, in more ways than one. Suna was not far from the Northern Desert, about a half a day's walk. The Kyuubi within was always growling at the edge of his consciousness, waiting for a moment to assert its dominance. And then there was the mysterious no one, who had given him fresh supplies, and bandaged his feet. It made no sense to him. 'Wind cuts the mountain,' maybe if he blasted away the plateau with a Rasengan, but that was destruction, pure and simple. Nothing clean about it.

There had been no poison in the food and water the person had left for him. His wounds were healed, and other than that there was nothing to speak of besides the note. That note…It was disturbing in a way. Certainly it had been a surprise to find it there, pinned to his pack, but the contents were far stranger. 'Wind cuts the mountain.' Naruto's running slowed as he considered the note and then it struck him. Ice filled his veins and the hair stood up on the back of his neck. The one thing he had disregarded in the note. The very first line, and the most important one. Why had he not seen it before?

_'To the fox.'_

Naruto had completely stopped still in his tracks.

"They know what I am…" He whispered.

The Jinchurriki of Konoha.

---

Darkness found Naruto exhausted and worn to bits. A new tear had formed in his robes. It left the fabric from the right shoulder down flapping free of the frayed stitching. Naruto had ripped the rest of the offending material away and folded it into his bag. Perhaps with the rope he had saved he could make something of the cloth. It was still useful, he was sure…

Naruto was trying, as hard as he dared, to keep his thoughts as mundane as possible. Otherwise he was quite sure he would go completely and irrevocably mad. His earlier discovery about the nature of the note had taken its toll on his consciousness. Was this person a member of the Akatsuki!? What were they? With shock, he had learned a few years back, he was highly susceptible to the will of the Kyuubi. It was only by great fortune in the previous day that he did not lose control of his mind when running from the storm. Thank you Lady Luck.

High emotion, instinct and sense triggered the loosening of his precarious hold on the Kyuubi's actions. Of late it had been getting harder, until the maniacal will scuttling its way under his thoughts was no longer as muted as it had once been. This is why he had to, he **must **reign in control of the demon. Thankfully Gaara also understood this feeling, and what it meant. There was no favor in the living for those that remind them of the dead, and an uneasy Naruto was the last thing Konoha needed to see.

Nervous sleep crept into his eyes, heavy lidded as they were. It was a long time before blank rest was afforded to his scattered mind.

---

The plateau was visited again, that midnight, by someone in the dark. They stayed long and watched with careful consideration. There was much to be done, and little time for doing. But for now, let the weary rest. Many long days would come, there would be time enough---for this one.

'_Dreamless sleep, in the night deep, far -- so far from home._

_Troubled are the heroes of men, the smaller gods of Rome.' _


	6. Hanging the Man

**Author's Note: **This fic may seem to take things slowly for a while. I would like to get under Naruto's surface as much as possible to portray him properly. I feel the only way to do that is to pay more attention to his day to day life than is usually done. Training is a unique way to hone your skills, but also your personality. I'd like to see how he grows from this, in more ways than one.

---

There was a time when Naruto would have gleefully enjoyed working his way out of a mess, just thinking of it as training. Now he would gleefully wrap his ecstatic fingers around the throat of the person who had tied him, once again upside down to the ledge. Come morning he had found that the earth was no longer in the place it should be, and neither was his body. Resembling a flapping burlap scarecrow, Naruto flailed about with such colorful language that a rainbow would blush.

"God dammit I SWEAR! When I catch you bastard - I AM GOING TO RIP YOUR LUNGS OUT THROUGH YOUR NOSE!"

Naruto had found, much to his alarm, that this time not only were his hands bound but a weight had been tied into the knot as well. It was very, very heavy. He couldn't undo this knot as easily as that last, if you could have called it ease. It was far more elaborate. He tried lifting it to his mouth to tug at the knot. The weight prevented this for any length of time. Naruto needed something to support the heavy knot while he worked on it. Using his feet as a platform would be the obvious solution but the weight was superbly difficult to lift. Naruto estimated its overall load at twenty kilos. Damn…

There was no other way, he would have to bend his body upwards as before. Only how was he going to hold on for God's sake? Oh well, he'd cross that road when he came to it. The only thing to do now was to try, and so he did. It was a circus rendition of a sit-up, in mid air with a ridiculous mass binding his hands and wrists Naruto began the attempt to just get his body bent up to the ends of his feet.

---

Two hours it took him. Two hours of perspiring torture as the ligaments in his arms screamed. Naruto had finally done it. The weighted knot was perched on the flats of his suspended feet. His head felt like it was exploding with tiny white pops on his glazed pupils. What a morning. He had attempted to reach his feet so many times that his vision swam and his stomach was lacerated with fiery pain. What - a - morning.

Now what had he done this for again?

Oh right, loosen that knot. Half-heartedly he lifted his head with strain and chewed at the stubborn rope. Another hour passed before he made any notable progress. Finally when the loops of the tie fell slack they slipped away as if they had never been there at all. Save for the redness on his arms, Naruto's skin was mostly undamaged. His head however was another matter. The swimming of his vision was doing the equivalent of a sidestroke in an Olympic marathon. He could barely see straight. Now what to do with that weight. He looked up.

Oh joy, the person who did this to him had a twisted sense of humor.

The weight that had been roped into the knot was a well carved statuette of a crouching fox. It was made of the same stone as the kind that made up the plateaus. Naruto scowled up at it and jiggled a little. The statue fell with a satisfying crack and broke in two halves. He lowered himself from his feet carefully and hung, arms free in the air for a moment. Lazily he formed the seals for a shadow clone and this time three appeared on the ledge.

"You know what to do…" He told them hoarsely.

"Got it."

They nodded gravely. The shadow clones were essentially part of himself, an extension of his being. They knew what he knew and when they disappeared Naruto gained their experiences. It was a great tool he had found for his training due to the guidance of Kakashi, but for now he was tired, not exhausted, just tired.

The clones quickly set about their work and freed his feet as fast as they could. Taking into consideration that he was too tired to even move much more, Naruto's clones carried him down the Fissure cliff. When they reached the bottom the clones laid out the limp bodied shinobi with as much care as they could. Naruto's head lolled from side to side with woozy carelessness. The effect of hanging in the wrong direction for so long was beginning to take its toll on him. The clones exchanged worried glances. One of them rummaged around in the pack and drew out the water skin Gaara had given Naruto before he left Suna.

Naruto's eyes sparked and hungrily watched the sloshing of the skin as it swayed in the grasp of the clone.

"Here." The two other clones supported Naruto into a sitting position while the third granted him the mouth of the bag. When he tried to lift his arms to grasp the leathery surface a sheen of pained perspiration broke out on his skin. He couldn't do it. His arms, strong as they were, had been stretched for far too long. All of his muscles felt as if biting ants were marching over them. Prickling pins and needles soared throughout Naruto's body and paralyzed his ability to move.

"Sorry," he said with a tiny quirk at the corner of his mouth. "I guess my arms decided to go on a holiday 'cause they ain't movin."

The clone holding the water laughed and the other two smiled.

"Well hell boss," it said. "That's what we're here for right? To help you?"

Naruto just laid back into the steady support of the clones behind him and nodded gratefully. He was very thankful that he'd learned this jutsu when he was younger, despite the circumstances that had lead to it.

Tipping the bag so that the opening was in direct contact with Naruto's parched lips the clone with the skin allowed water to spill into his original's mouth. The water was warm and a bit funny tasting from the leather of the bag. Naruto had never drunk something so sweet, he thought, in all of his forsaken life. The liquid trickled out of the corners of his mouth and cleaned a path through the dust on his cheeks. When he had had enough he signaled by a crinkling of his forehead.

As the bag was pulled away he gasped for the air, Gods, the air. It felt so good to breath freely. No crucifying pressure on his lungs. No damnable weights pulling his endurance to the limit. High endurance, yeah he was known for that. Funny how a few hours of struggling against your own body can change everything you knew about it. He grinned up at the sky, eyes closed in languid stupor. The sky was a beautiful blue. He never remembered falling asleep.

---

It was surprising really, that the 'vessel' had managed to get out of his predicament as quickly as he did, someone mused from the top of the cliff. This was indeed an interesting youth. A little dense, but interesting nonetheless. Perhaps worth more than just the effort to train. Perhaps this one could endure the rigors of the path that was to come. Perhaps…

No one had done it, not in two hundred years.

Whatever the result, it would be most entertaining.

---

It was late in the afternoon when Naruto awoke again. His limbs were cardboard stiff and sore. Rolling his neck and shoulders Naruto groaned. He'd done some pretty difficult things in his life, but nothing so strenuous as what he'd gone through that morning. He stared malevolently at the broken statue of the stone fox.

"Serves it right", he thought bitterly. What a pain.

Naruto still had a very bad headache from the time he spent upside-down. No matter; he could ignore the throbbing, and the burning, and the aching, and so many other things that seemed to be malfunctioning in his body. More than pain right now he felt angry. How was it that twice in a row he had awoken to find himself hovering over the ground in that unreasonable position? He couldn't figure it out. He knew he slept like the dead but, even someone in a deep sleep would awaken to being hoisted up like a sack of potatoes. It just made no sense! No sense at all. And beyond that what kind of nut would do something like this anyway? They obviously knew what he was, but beyond that point all they seemed interested in doing was stringing him up as if he were some freakish tree ornament. It defied logic of any kind, even Naruto's. So, Naruto did the logical thing that Naruto does, he screamed at the top of his lungs. Which proved quite difficult --- when no sound came out.

"Ha - a - he - e. Ak!" He tried to voice his frustration but it was no use. Violent shouting earlier coupled with the fact that his throat was as dry as the Suna aqueducts had left Naruto barely able to utter a peep.

Naruto began a list in his head, Reasons to Kill Unknown Tormentor of Doom;

Reason 1 - Loss of voice.

Reason 2 - Because he could.

Naruto ripped the remaining sleeve on his robes from its seam and stuffed it into his bag. There was no use in keeping it around anymore. It only got in his way when he was trying to untie the knots. Somehow, Naruto had a funny feeling he would be trying to get out of a lot more of those in the near future. He glared at the fox statue once more and jogged off to his daily run.

Oh the perilous ways of understatement. He had no idea how right he was.

---

Naruto made his way back to his camp site in the cleft just as sunset came crawling over the horizon. It was cool in there. Blessedly cooler than the baked plains he trained on. He drifted to the spot beside his unmoved pack where he had slept for the last two nights. Drained and a tad sunburnt, Naruto flopped down and picked his way through the pack's contents. There was his sleeping bag, which had once again forgotten to roll out. Why not? This place was as good as any to bunk down in. It was shielded from the sun - mostly, and the sand storms couldn't reach him.

Naruto untied the sleeping bag and flung it over into a corner. It unrolled obediently and slapped the ground softly as it did. He smiled at that. Somehow the sight of the simple fabric on the ground made it more like a home. He was alone again, but at least this time it was by his own choosing.

Huffing calmly he rifled through the pack's contents again and withdrew the med-kit from Sakura. He brushed the surface gently, as if trying to speak to the person he'd left behind. It wasn't much, but it was his. The few presents that Naruto received in life he treasured _with _his life. The necklace from Tsunade; his forehead protector from Iruka which currently resided on his arm to bind a pulled muscle; even the spyglass he had obtained from Jiraiya, his former sensei, was a treasured thing (although Naruto had never used the thing for the reasons Jiraiya had intended it to be.) These material things were from moments in Naruto's life when someone had recognized his worth, and for that reason if only one he cherished them deeply. It was a physical representation of acceptance.

He leaned back against the rough stone of the cleft wall and opened the med-kit to pluck out a jar of Hinata's ointment. It was a dry textured mixture that went on without much effort. Tilting his head back as he treated his day's burns Naruto wondered at the sky. A desert hawk circled overhead; a black silhouette against a splendor of flying orange and yellow clouds in the light of the setting sun. Despite all the surprises and toils of the day, tension slipped away from him in a quiet wave. The silence was welcome for a change.

With the endless plains outside and the sky above he listened for nothing and thought; right now - more than any other time in his life - he felt truly alive - and at peace - with himself.

---

There was another reason to kill his silent stalker, Naruto thought as he blandly watched a train of ants on the ground below. A headache was pounding into his skull. Each throbbing stab Naruto counted in his temple he swore to carve into the stinking hide of whoever kept doing this to him. Swinging slowly like a clock pendulum a bemused expression crossed his face. The rope was just as heavy as it was yesterday, another weight must be in the knot. With the repetitive nature of the person who did this, it was likely another fox statue. Almond shaped eyes closed in bored acceptance. This 'hanging from the feet until he felt like an abused piñata' trick was getting old, quickly. If he had to, Naruto would untie this damned knot every, single, day, until he caught the bastard who kept doing this to him.

Until then there was a twenty kilo piece of crap pulling his arms out of their sockets. He sighed and once again began the attempt to make his body do the near impossible.

Only, near impossible.

---

From that day forward Naruto woke up to the same routine. Untie knot, eat, run, train, eat, sleep. As the weeks passed and the time stretched out farther onto the horizon the weights inside the knots proved to be as he had expected. There were carved statuettes of stone foxes every time, and each week they got a bit heavier. After a while he began receiving notes from his mysterious tor-Mentor. They contained basic advice, how to aim a thrown weapon properly, survive in the desert, find water, tactics and the like. The notes were not straight forward either; each was written in a cryptic riddle like the first. After a while the Mentor, as Naruto liked to call the unknown person in his life, began to tie him upright with the weighted knot at his feet instead. At this point Naruto had started leaving his own notes in retaliation, making them as crude and as crass as possible. It became a game between the two. The words of wisdom would be countered with retorts of rudeness. It came to a time when their conversation, although distant, turned to the likeness of friendly enemies.

Until the day that Naruto was too tired to drink any water before he fell asleep.

---


	7. Three Months and Forever

---

It had been as normal a morning as Naruto experienced in the last three months. He woke up to find that it would be one of those days he would have to use his feet, literally. The weighted knot pulled at his legs uncomfortably, but that was all he had thought of it. Naruto's mind was elsewhere as he fluidly elevated his feet up to his mouth and pulled at the knot. Weeks ago, no matter the mass of the statue in the knot he was able to raise it. Sometimes he had a bit of difficulty, but it was easily adapted to. He really had no idea how much it was that he was lifting now. When he picked up the first fragments of the twenty kilo stone fox, they felt like feathers in his hands. Naruto was somewhat at a loss to explain why, but his body felt like a spring. Any weight seemed like no weight at all. And it slightly disturbed him when not only did the fragments of the stone fox feel like feathers, they shattered into dust when he applied the lightest pressure.

"That was an interesting day," he mulled as he untied the rope.

After discovering the freakish change in his strength Naruto had spent the day jumping, running, and generally causing mayhem faster and higher than he had ever done before. He felt taller, and upon closer inspection when he visited Suna for supplies and to send letters, Naruto found that he was. He nearly fell over when he saw his reflection. The person staring back at him was not what he had expected, to say the least.

Finding his robes cumbersome at times, Naruto was prone to divest himself of clothes during training. Why not? No one was around for miles, though he was much more careful with his skin after the day that certain nether regions obtained the sun's wrath. In any case, he had known he was darker than before but in the stark whiteness of the walls that surrounded him, his tan was as brown as a baked turkey.

His face had been gaunt under his hair, the shoulder-length ray of messy golden spikes. The high cheekbones of his skull were prominent below the skin. Arms and legs were thin and wiry, corded with new muscle and sinew. This person had hands that looked as if they could easily strangle another human being. That was not him. It could not be him.

Naruto had only been able to look in the mirror for so long.

He had fled from the room in a dazed fear of what he had seen. It had only been three months…How could he have changed so much in so little time? Now, when he walked in the streets of Suna he could easily be mistaken for a native of the village. And often he was until the people glimpsed the Konoha hiyate plate glinting off his left arm. His knowledge about the desert was such that, they also accepted him into their dusty ranks. Many a day he had visited the village to meet with Gaara, only to get caught up in some thing or other. He welcomed it gladly but --- the ach in his heart for the greenery of Konoha's eternal forests was breath taking. With the acceptance from the Suna villagers, and the way he looked now --- Naruto felt as if he would never be able to return home quite as wholly as he had left it. The truth of the matter was that he now had two places in his life that called to him; homes.

He had consulted the Mentor about this in a note (rudely mind you). That had been two sunrises ago, and no reply was forth coming.

Naruto's train of thought was disturbed by the sudden loosening of the ropes. He felt the weight fall away and hit the ground with a resounding smack. Where the remains of each morning's escape went, he didn't know. They just disappeared whenever he left the cleft. With practiced ease he started on the knots his hands were bound in. About a month ago his ropes had a new twist in them, which had been the most frustrating of all elements he had faced before in the Mentor's trickery. Charka inhibiting ropes were bound about his frame. If he were anywhere within two meters of the blasted stuff his jutsus were rendered useless. So he had had to depend on his own basic skills, which had taken time, but now he was used to it. Skin, mind, and all.

The knots his hands were tied in slithered off in a matter of minutes. Springing with unusual grace he landed softly on the ground next to his pack, and, unsurprised, found the note he had been waiting for.

_'Change is but the wind in the air. It starts from nothing, the smallest of breezes. But it can be felt, and seen. Till it is the greatest of hurricanes, sweeping the land. It is the manifesting of inner strength. How ever the wind is accepted, is up to the one who blows it.'_

Naruto grimaced.

"Ya could have made that a little harder to decipher old man. A three year old could do it," he mumbled.

Long ago Naruto decided that the Mentor was a cranky old bastard of a man. This whole 'tie up the unsuspecting youth' thing was just some crackpot's game. The Akatsuki had nothing to do with it. No matter. The note wasn't hard to figure out, but Naruto's true reason for complaining lay within himself. He knew what the Mentor was getting at. He didn't have to like it.

He sighed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Accept the changes huh…

Well he wasn't asking for much was he?

Naruto surveyed his camp. It was hardly recognizable from the crack in the rock it had been three months ago. Naruto had carved shelves into the cliff side where his belongings were stacked. There was even a larger shelf he had blasted to make a small but sheltered space to use as a sleeping bunk. There were hanging carpets from the village that he had received for doing various tasks. They were flattened on the ground as well. It was a comfortable place that had only one rule; NEVER start a fire in the cleft. The smoke filled up the small area quickly, and it took days to get the smell to air out. Naruto did all his cooking on the plateau flats above.

Naruto picked through this week's supplies. Instant ramen? Nah, tired of that. Suna wheat-meal? He only ate that when he _had_ to… Preserved dried jerky, samphir greens, mushrooms, some spices. Yup that would do, do for a stew. Naruto grinned madly and produced a large pot from the pack. It had been a gift from one of the villagers. He hadn't known what to do with it for the longest time until he found that putting several ramen packets in it at once made twice the ramen in twice the time. He'd never questioned the use of a pot again.

Jamming the pot down on his head like some comically distorted version of a helmet, he stuffed the chosen foods from the pack into a small pouch which he tied to his side. He knew that cloth and rope would come in handy some day.

Naruto leapt up and bounded off. There was an underground freshwater spring nearby that he had found a little while ago when exploring the vast network of the plateau caves. It wasn't a large spring, but it was clean and that would do just as well. Naruto arrived at the cave entrance and shouted in jest

"Heeelll-ooo-ooo!"

Cupping his hand to his ear he listened to the echo reverberating off the walls and smiled. He imagined the sound shooting around in the darkness like a loose bullet. He figured if there were such things as cave monsters, he'd make them go deaf long before they ever realized he was there. Childish, but fun nonetheless.

He jogged into the darkness whistling a random tune of notes and headed for the spring. He found it easy enough with the scant light glancing of its surface in soft flickers. The spring was a source of constant interest for Naruto. The way the reflections mirrored and webbed across its surface were mesmerizing and hypnotic. He felt an ancient sort of awe from the silent water, every time --- every time.

He removed the pot from his head with a light metal ringing and drew it through the water till it lifted full. Excess liquid dropped off into the small pool almost musically in the cool darkness.

Naruto stayed a few moments, just listening, and then got up to leave. He was very careful balancing the pot in his hands. No water would spill. It was a brisk two minute walk back to the camp and then to the plateau top. After finding the use of the pot Naruto had been stumped on how to carry it without sloshing anything over the edges. Let alone jump up onto a cliff that was twenty feet higher than him. It had come down to practice. Every day he balanced that damned pot, filled to the brim, on his hands, his feet, his head even, until he could run like a shooting arrow without spilling a single drop.

He reached the camp and jumped in one leap, a veritable human spring, up onto the plateau. Sunrise was just ending with the great blazing circle clearing the horizon and drifting up into the sky. Naruto shoved some previously gathered sticks into the fire pit he had made recently and struck a flint tinderbox to light it. A few sharp cracks against the grated metal produced a mighty spark which caught, and flared. Naruto waited a little and dumped a log onto the fire, it another gift from the village, a stack of firewood. Out in the desert where such things were scarce, it was a rich gift, Naruto used it sparingly.

He balanced a flat slab of shale over the fire pit on the rock ring surrounding it. The fire licked out from underneath hungrily and quickly heated the shale. It was a good way to cook, since Naruto had found that a grill was messy, and difficult to clean. He set the pot on the shale and let it boil. In a little while he opened the sack at his waist and produced the ingredients he'd chosen. The jerky was torn into chunks and the samphir greens shredded. These Naruto tossed into the spitting water of the pot and began slicing the mushrooms with a sharpened kunai. They were diced to bite size when he chucked them in the brewing stew as well. Now for flavor. A small brown-capped bottle contained rock pepper and salt. Naruto uncapped the container and shook out a little of the spice. Using the flat of the kunai he crushed the pebbles of salt and pepper to specks and dusted them off a rock into the stew. It would be a bit sandy, his food always was these days, but it was nothing he wasn't already used to.

The mixture simmered for a while, and when it had darkened to a light brown Naruto wrapped his hands in the cloth of the sack and drew the pot off the heated shimmering shale.

There was a light breeze that day, playing with anything that wasn't tied down or too heavy to move. The stew had been good when he ate some, the rest would be rationed for later. The taste of salty meat and vegetable lingered in his mouth as he went on to his morning run and memory fogged through his brain.

He had changed.

So quickly, so slowly, he hadn't noticed it happening. It was as if the person he had been was an infinite amount of time away, yet it had only been three months --- three months…

Three months ago Naruto would have sneered at the insinuation that he could like any food more than ramen, but he did. In time he had discovered the wild zing of the samphir green, the tanging bite of Kaffya - a drink much favored by the residents of Suna - Gaara included. He was no longer as small as when he first arrived. Three months and he was on equal footing with the Kazekage in height, superior in strength. Three months and his habits went from loud to calm. Three months and he could cut a rock to atoms with chakra alone. Three months --- and forever.

Naruto realized with a little sadness as he ran that what ever he had been could not be brought back. He had grown comfortable with his new state of mind, mirthful but reserved. It had become a habit of his to review the day, and those previous to it in his head. Picking out details, turning things over in his head. He'd yet to attempt his ultimate goal. The Kyuubi could not be beaten, not yet at any rate. Naruto estimated that he was at about the halfway mark. Given another three months, he doubted he would recognize himself in any way at all…

Naruto ran harder, fast as he could, trying to outrace the sick feeling in his gut.

_'How ever the wind is accepted, is up to the one who blows it."_

He ran.

Faster than the wind.

---

Tired, more tired than he had been in a long time, Naruto stumbled back to camp that night in a pitiable state. He had pushed himself to his limits and beyond. There were fresh gashes on his forearms from multiple backfires when he was practicing an new jutsu. Just using his chakra of late he had been trying hard as he could to enhance the first stages of the finished elemental Rasengan into an entirely different technique. It was both draining and dangerous work. Naruto's chakra was wind based, which was part of the reason he chose to train in such an arid place as the Northern Desert.

His idea consisted of weaving the abilities of Tsunade's super strength and Neji's chakra emission. Naruto figured that if he was simultaneously able to emit chakra from any part of his body, not only sharpened but with force behind it, he could just easily have a defense mechanism that was both offensive and defensive. The trouble with the idea was that control of his chakra without letting the Kyuubi's bleed into his own was near on impossible at times when he was attempting something difficult.

Near impossible, only near.

For his semi-failed efforts Naruto wore the blood on his arms with wearied dignity. He'd try again, tomorrow. He crawled into his bunk slowly, mindful of the stinging in his arms. They'd heal on their own for now. Although his healing ability had dropped quite a bit years ago, it was still dependable enough to fix minor abrasions like these.

His eyes drew half-lidded with slumber.

Maybe…

Maybe he'd get it right…

"Tomorrow."

---

It is very discomforting to know that you are moved every night without knowing how it is done. It is absolutely terrifying to wake up in the middle of the night to see a great hulking darkness leaning over you. Which is what Naruto saw when he was startled into the waking world by a shadowed figure that was dragging him by his feet out of the sleeping shelf.

Faster than he knew, Naruto had a wickedly sharpened kunai pressed against the bandaged throat of his perceived attacker.

"Who are you." He said roughly, nerves jangling in violent discord.

The figure put up its hands in surrender.

A man's voice answered him, youthful and strong with no rasp at the end of it.

"No one suspicious, I assure you."

Naruto looked on with a humorless stare.

"You're kidding right?" He said.

"I wake up in the middle of the night and find you dragging me off to do gods know what, and you expect me to believe that you mean no harm? No harm at all. Nooo. No I don't think that's going to fly buddy. So why don't you skip the innocent act and tell me what the hell is going on here?"

The man laughed.

"Just as crude as I expected! Tell me, is it not unusual for you to be awake at this hour? Regardless of the circumstances I mean."

Naruto looked confused for a moment and thought about what the stranger had said. It was true that he never woke up during the night, it was always in the morning that he… woke to find himself hanging from a ledge…

Oh, hell no.

Naruto withdrew his kunai and slammed it into the cliff wall. Stomping over into a corner he plucked an oil lamp off a shelf and lit it. Stamping the ground back to where the cloaked man stood Naruto angrily hung the lamp from the rock-embedded kunai.

In the swinging light he could discern that the other's man's face and hands were bandaged, leaving room only for dark eyes to glitter out from under a deep set cowl. Naruto had never seen this person before, but that silent air of mocking crypticism was unmistakable. He'd read it, insulted it, made a list of one hundred ways to kill it over the last three months.

Naruto glowered at the man and a maniacally deadly smile shivered over his features.

"It was you, wasn't it?" He said while cracking his knuckles loudly. The man just stood there, head tilted in mild interest.

"Why whatever are you referring to?" He feigned innocence, almost as dead-panned-well as Kakashi managed. Naruto wouldn't be surprised if he found that the two were related.

"You're the bastard who strings me up every night in those damned knots. Eh? I'm right aren't I?" Naruto began to do a series of stretches on his legs and arms. The man put a musing hand to his chin.

"Well, I do seem to remember doing something of the sort everyday. Why do you ask?" He said, as if this were a normal conversation and they were discussing the weather.

"Just making sure I didn't have the wrong guy." Naruto sing-songed from a crouching stretch on the ground.

"Can you run fast?" Naruto called up from his stretch, which looked suspiciously like the formation a runner takes at the start of a marathon.

"Why certainly," the man replied. "I'm quite fast, actually."

Naruto hiked up his knees and poised himself for flight.

"Good, good," he said.

"You're going to need that speed."

"Why is that?" The man asked curiously.

"Because," Naruto explained quite calmly.

"When I catch you I'm going to find very creative ways to kill you, slowly, painfully. That sort of deal."

"Oh?" The hooded stranger said. "I guess I'll be off then."

The man took off at an alarming pace, but then, so did Naruto. The blonde shinobi roared after the 'Mentor' and shouted blazing epithets at his back.

"BASTARD! I'M GONNA PLUCK OUT YOUR TONAILS AND FORCE YOU TO EAT EM! I'LL HAVE YOU STRUNG BY YOUR THUMBS OVER A PIT OF BOILING LAVA! EVEN IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO! ARRGH!"

The night wore on in the Northern Desert, filled with the high screaming of a very angry teenager and one laughing man. The moon set and the sun rose, and from the window of his office in Suna, Gaara could see a continuous line of dust rising from the plains.

---


	8. A Stranger Kind of Acceptance

---

The sky really was amazing in the desert. If you actually took the time to look at it, it really was…amazing. From Naruto's prone and exhausted position on the ground, he could see it quite clearly. A sand piper flew by.

"Bastard…" Naruto croaked out hoarsely. The stranger in robes was sitting nonchalantly, cross legged next to a rock.

"There's just one thing… I wanna know."

"Oh?" The stranger intoned quizzically.

"How to be civil? I'm afraid I can't teach you that."

Naruto grimaced and stuck out a half-hearted tongue. He was flat on his back staring up into endless blue.

"How'd you do it?" He said grouchily.

"No ninja, no human could pull a stunt like the one you pulled on me, repeatedly, without some damned drug. I tested that stuff you left me, the food and the water, every time, nothing in it. So how the hell'd you do it?"

The stranger chortled and shook his cowled head slowly.

"You really aren't the suspicious type are you?" He said mirthfully. There was an annoying twinkle in those dark eyes.

"What," Naruto growled. "Does that have to do with anything?" The stranger just shrugged.

"If you had been then you would have double checked to make sure it wasn't an herbal sedative. Not all sleeping agents are chemical based you know."

Naruto groaned. So _that _is what it had been. The man produced a vial from the folds of his robes, held it up in front of Naruto's nose and shook it. A light colored cache of stems rattled inside.

"This," he said. "Is Allousin, it's a plant that grows in the darker carverns. It dissolves quickly when in water and it has no taste. You were lucky, or a complete fool, last night when you forgot to drink anything. Which, I am assuming of course, is what happened."

Naruto tried to swipe the bottle away.

"Wh-y!" His voice broke out.

"Why'd you-…" He was cut off.

"I'll give you a clue: until today no one has been able to keep up with me for as long as you did. _Why_ is your answer. I should think that you can figure that out easily enough Mr. Uzumaki." The stranger said brusquely.

"I'll give you until…5 o'clock tonight to tell me exactly why. Until then," he got up and began to walk away at a terrible pace.

"Please try not to die from exhaustion out here," he called back over his shoulder. "I've put far too much work into you, and I daresay you'll want another shot at 'ripping my lungs out through my nose' before you expire, Mr. Uzumaki!" The stranger disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Naruto to limply claw at the ground in frustration.

"DA-amn y-ou!" His voice cracked out pitifully, angrily.

"Da-mn y-ou to hell!"

A sudden pain stabbed him between the eyes.

Good god no…

After a long night and half a day of running with high emotions the demon had been roused into full gear, and it was _angry_. He tried, he tried to reign it in, all of it. It would take time. He had that at least.

---

Two hours later it was no use, his mind was folding under the pressure from the Kyuubi's chakra. Naruto had been restraining the beast for far too long. It was becoming dangerous. He needed to calm down. Calm down!

Focus, focus. Focus on…Something! Blue sky, endless blue, deep, deep, calm…

Breath in, blue sky.

Breath out, endless plains.

Breath in, wind and sand.

Breath out, lazy day.

He lay there for…he didn't know how long, but the breathing worked. As he focused on nothing, on everything, Naruto noticed things he hadn't really considered before. A pack of plains mice skittered nearby, under the ground. The shifting of the sands in the breeze was similar to the rustling of the leaves in Konoha.

Konoha…

He wanted to go home.

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment and then began to move, or crawl rather, towards the plateau. He was fortunate that his stupid chase with the crazy old man hadn't ended too far away from his fissure. He had time to get there still, time to think about what the stranger had said. Funny how he enough of it when he didn't want it.

He wanted to go home.

---

He was just sitting there. The insane old coot was just sitting there rummaging through Naruto's pack without a care for decency. Naruto stood, swaying, disbelieving at the entrance of the cleft.

"What the hell are you doing!" He managed to shout.

"That's my stuff!"

The stranger looked up and tilted his head to one side.

"Ah! You're here now. Do you have the answer to your question?"

Gods his voice was irritating, so damned polite!

"Yes I do! But that's besides the point that you're nosing around in my belongings!" Naruto lunged, unsuccessfully, at the man who leaped away with no effort at all, gliding almost.

"You have the answer? Good lets hear it then!"

Naruto would really, joyfully, enthusiastically, have disembowled his unwanted guest at the moment. But seeing as he was again lying face down in the dirt…

"YES! Okay, I know the answer. I don't want your help. You can keep it."

The stranger knelt down next to Naruto's unmoving body.

"Are you sure that's the answer?" He said cryptically. "I was helping you, hanging you by your toes every day? That doesn't sound like help."

Naruto propped himself up off the ground and flipped over into a sitting position.

"Yeah I'm pretty damn sure," he said. "You told me that no one could keep up with you till now right? Well it figures they couldn't. They've all died from that stupid rope trick of yours! That's the only reason why maybe hundreds of other guys can't match your speed and strangle you is because they didn't last past basic training. I'm stronger, faster than I was before, lifting those stupid knots every freaking day, but I sure as hell don't have to like it."

Naruto stared angrily at the now very quiet person in front of him. They had gone completely still.

"Anyways," Naruto stated, running a slow hand through his hair.

"Like I said. I don't want your help. Someone who resorts to trickery to get a student is at the bottom of my black list. So just---go away alright? I don't want any more trouble and I'm tired."

The man nodded slowly and got up to leave. He paused for a moment, at the wall.

"I saw how strong you were," he said placidly.

"How much desire you had to be stronger, I thought I could help make that happen. Its been a long time since I had someone refuse the training. Perhaps I went about it the wrong way…"

Naruto grunted from his place on the ground.

"Yeah, you did."

The stranger looked up at the fading sky.

"You were wrong about one thing," he said.

"They didn't get past the basics, but I never let them die, not one..."

Naruto cracked open an eyelid and regarded the stranger.

"Oi, bastard" he said rudely. "What's your name anyway?"

The man made as if to turn for a second and then stopped,

"I have no name that I can freely give you," he said. "But for future reference, if we ever meet again, you may call me Mori."

Naruto mused for a bit.

"Mori huh?" He said, startling the person back to him.

"I don't understand how to cut a mountain with wind." Naruto yawned.

"I'd like to know, you got anyone who could tell me?"

Naruto could almost hear the other man smiling.

"I might know of such a fellow, but his methods are harder than all the ones you've ever faced before."

Naruto smirked, almost asleep.

"I think, I can handle that…" He said, and then drifted off into silence.

Mori looked at the softly snoring youth with an unusual fondness.

"Yes I think," he said serenely. "You most certainly can…" And then he was gone, flying off into the darkness.

There were two stars that shone through the sandy haze that night.

Both distant, and bright.


	9. Grim Reaper

**Author's Note: **Next update on monday. I'm not particularly happy with this chapter, but you be the judge of whether it deserves attention or not.

Grey ash drifted through the charred wasteland, like the petals of some diseased flower. A young man was standing in the midst of it all, the gaping maws of skulls opened in silent screams, smouldering tinders and wreckage.

It had been all too easy.

He stood completely still, sword drawn and trailing in the dust. The light was polluted by overcast skies and the still floating ash covered everything like so much filthy snow. It fell on his stark black hair, black pants, white tunic, and pale, pale skin. The ash fell on Uchiha Sasuke.

He'd reduced the traveling caravan to drifting charcoal and debris. There was absolutely nothing left to recognize what it had once been; a sacred procession of one of the southern tribes. They had been transporting their warrior priests to a secret location, it was said that these men knew some kind of Life jutsu that was guarded jealously by the tribe. For once, Orochimaru's sources had been correct.

Sasuke's eyes swirled with blood red violence, copying, recording what they had seen for future reference.

It had been ridiculously easy.

All he'd had to do was goad them into attacking by threatening the life of the head priest. That was all. What was it they'd said? 'By the time he saw their jutsu he'd be dead.' He was doing pretty well --- for a dead man.

Sasuke lifted a delicate hand and looked at it passively; it was the one he'd used on the loudmouth who'd shouted that drivel at him; the one who had those perfectly clear blue eyes; the one that stared defiantly back into his own malevolent red as he put out those same eyes, burning them to melted gunk, severing them from his life.

He wished they would.

There were little orange and yellow fires noisily disturbing the monotony of the scarred landscape. They were the only color for miles of greyscale around. Sasuke was reminded of a small thing, a triviality really. Fire burned bright blue at the base because that was where it was the hottest and most deadly. He could see it slightly, under all the loud, annoying, blasted orange.

Fire was his element, his preferred weapon, and it was orange…

How stupidly ironic.


	10. Sword Song

---

Morning in the desert was a rather confusing affair for Naruto. He woke to find that he was, strangely enough, still on the ground. To make a long story short he was completely disorientated from waking up…normally.

Until he stood up.

"What the hell?!"

His legs and arms felt like leaden blocks. Looking down at his ankles and wrists he found that odd cuffs and manacle bracelets had been attached to him, too tight to remove, and too strong to break. There was an unknown kanji etched onto the metallic surfaces, angular and stick-like.

Naruto groaned.

"MORI!" He shouted.

"Come down here and take these off me you bastard!"

Naruto waited for a few seconds and then a whirling wind announced the presence of the irritating man.

"You!" Naruto shouted and pointed accusingly at the robed menace.

"You take these -- these, **things **offa me!"

Mori eyed Naruto with a serious air.

"Do you want my guidance or not?" He said plainly.

Naruto huffed into silence and crossed his arms defiantly.

"I'll take that as a yes, from you at least."

Mori picked a piece of rock dust off his shoulder and flicked it onto the ground.

"In that case," he said. "Those stay until I say otherwise."

Naruto was not happy.

"Pft, whatever! What are they anyway?" He complained.

"Those," Mori said. "Are Anima Raccoglitori, they put pressure on both your spirit and your body. As to how I got them, that is something I am neither predisposed to share with you or anyone else. Starting today you will be training with them until you are able to defeat me _without _taking them off."

Naruto wasn't amused.

"How am I supposed to move fast enough to beat you wearing these!?" He cried.

Mori gestured towards a coil of rope piled next to Naruto's back pack.

"The same way," he said. "That you got used to untying those weighted knots. If my suspicions about you are correct you should be able to master this area of the training in relatively no time at all."

Naruto glared at his new instructor distrustfully.

"And what suspicions might those be eh? I don't know how you found out that I've got that damned demon inside of me but I'm nobody's puppet, you got that?!"

Mori just nodded.

"I understand perfectly Mr. Uzumaki. I would not expect you to act otherwise. As to my knowledge of you, I may live in a dust pan of a place but I am neither blind nor deaf. Word travels Mr. Uzumaki, even to the most distant of ears. Now, can you move comfortably in those?"

Naruto blanched for a second. What? Oh, the cuffs. He flexed an arm up and down, it felt okay.

"Yeah, I guess so." He said. "But I still don't understand."

Mori, if he had had a visible face, it would have been in covered in complete exasperation.

"Let me explain something about these," he said calmly.

"Up until now you have simply been stretching out your muscles every morning. Toning them so that they could handle extreme weight without tearing and becoming damaged. That was the easy stage."

Naruto's eyes widened. Surely he couldn't be serious.

"The Raccoglitori are the second phase."

Dear god he was.

"Each week they will double in weight, for four weeks. What you are feeling now is the weight you have been lifting so far. The Raccoglitori will be on you at all times, and as an added twist they will also limit your spirit power or chakra, cutting it in half every week."

Naruto couldn't believe his ears.

"WHAT!" He complained loudly. "That's not fa--." He was cut off.

"Shush!" Mori scolded. "I've not finished yet so pay attention."

He continued.

"Because of the limiting effects of the Raccoglitori you will be forced to adapt, quickly and efficiently to their limitations. There will be no excuse for waste. If you decide it is too hard or ask for a break I will fail you. That will be the end of your training."

Naruto's eyes grew angry and he growled.

"Like I'd do that!" He said.

"Listen," he pointed a defiant finger at Mori and ranted on.

"I'm not some loser who quits just because it gets rough. I may not be the brightest ninja, or the most skilled, but **I'm** going to be the Hokage of my village someday. I swear, even if I have to cut off my arms to achieve that much, I **will**!"

Mori's shoulders shook. Naruto's angry expression melted away. What the?…

"Well! That's good to hear! Now I won't have to worry about driving you to the brink of death!"

The man broke out laughing. Naruto let his forehead drop into his hand with a groan. Man, this guy was freakier than Sakura on a bad day.

The laughter died down.

"Seriously though," said Mori. "This will be the hardest training you have ever experienced. You will need to learn how to control your chakra _implicitly_, there can be no errors. But the first thing we will do is get you to learn a proper fighting technique. I have noticed an inexcusable lack of discipline in that area. You simply rush in and deal the best cards in your deck without thinking, that kind of act can be deadly in the ninja line of work. So starting today we are going to go into town and get you a proper weapon to learn with. Since you seem to favor close combat I would recommend-…"

"A sword," Naruto stated firmly.

Mori looked at him curiously.

"I was going to say daggers," he said. "But a sword would work just as well. Any reason why?"

Naruto became guarded and silent.

"That's… my own business." He said quietly. There were some things he wasn't ready to share yet. Such as the fact that a certain man now wielded a katana with ease. _He _could, so Naruto would have to as well.

"Fair enough," said Mori. "I'll stay out of your past as long as you stay out of mine."

Naruto nodded in assent.

"Deal," he said. "Now lets get that sword!"

Mori grinned under the bandages on his face.

"Lesson one," he said impishly. "Speed must remain constant, no matter the load being carried or distance traveled. Catch up to me. If you can!"

And with that he sped off towards Suna at an unforgivably fast velocity.

"Damn it, Mori you bastard!" He shouted.

"WAIT UP!"

The sun was especially bright that day.

---

Suna was usually a fairly quiet village, until starting three months ago, every once in a while, a hurricane of energy flew into the sandy streets. The townspeople looked up with some apprehension as a cloud of dust rocketed towards the village, right on schedule. It was at this same moment that Gaara was coming back from some business inside of the village common square. He never really got used to it when Naruto barreled into Suna, sometimes into _him_. But it was an interesting change of pace nonetheless. What he was not expecting when he also saw the trailing skein of sand was the person in front of the chaos.

It was a tallish man covered in a heavy wrap of desert robes and bandages where his skin should be. He glided over the ground so swiftly it appeared he was flying. That man…It just couldn't be possible. Was he?…

A familiar shout rose up from behind the man as he zoomed by.

"Gaara!" Naruto screeched to a stop in front of the confounded Kazekage.

"Hey you in there?" He said in concern. Gaara was still staring at the now stopped figure of Mori in the settling dust. Naruto looked to see what had disturbed the Kazekage and was puzzled.

"I know he's a little funny looking, but what's the deal with your face Gaara? You look as if you've seen a ghost or something."

Gaara's gaze shifted to a more normal platitude and he faced Naruto calmly.

"It's nothing," he said.

"I just mistook your friend there for someone else. Who is he?"

Naruto scratched behind his head in embarrassment. He'd forgotten to introduce his new mentor altogether.

"Oh right," he said. "This is Mori. Mori this is Gaara, a friend of mine. He's the Kazekage of Suna!" Naruto said proudly, as if it was something he had accomplished himself.

Mori bowed low and straightened, looking directly into Gaara's eyes.

"Mori's a bit of a strange hermit I found out in the desert. Gaara?"

Gaara's hands were clenching and unclenching in a worrisome manner; Naruto noticed. Gaara shook his head slightly and put a hand up to stop Naruto's questioning.

"I'm fine," he said. "Please continue."

Naruto's expression didn't lose all of its troubled taint. Something was wrong…

"Alright, well, I ain't going into details but he says he's gonna train me. Simple as that, and we're here to get me a sword today. Know any places around town where I could find one?"

"Yes," said Gaara. "The village has a standard armory that we outfit our ANBU with, nothing you are unfamiliar with. I can give you one out of the stock."

Naruto was about to follow Gaara to the armory when a small sound caught their attention.

"Ahem…" Mori coughed in a not so inconspicuous way.

"Actually, I would prefer it," he said politely. "If Mr.Uzumaki chose his weapon from one of the older stocks. I believe Suna has small cache of war surplus like most villages. Is it possible you could take us there instead?"

Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"It is…possible," he said slowly. "But it is a very old armory. It hasn't been opened in the last twenty years. Most of the gear has deteriorated and is only used when the village has absolutely no other choice."

Naruto was getting a little irritated.

"Yeah!" He added enthusiastically. "Why get some rusty toothpick when he's offering us something practically brand new?"

Mori's black eyes flickered from under his hood.

"You will understand once we reach that point. Now," he stated. "Shall we go?"

Gaara nodded succinctly and turned on his heel, leading the way to the traditional mansion of Suna's Kazekages. He never looked back at the man next to Naruto, swathed in an air of cryptic ambition. A thought came to Gaara as suddenly as a meteor hits the earth. That man…

He moved like the wind.

---

The door was ancient; the hinges squealed in abject protest when they moved, like nails on a chalk board. All three party members cringed when it came to a stop. The loudest screech of all filtered up through the barren stone stairwell that evoked dungeons in the mind. Gaara brushed a decade's worth of fallen mortar from his arms where he had opened the door for Naruto and the mysterious visitor…Mori.

"This is the post-war storage room." Said Gaara into the dark of the room. He stepped into the dingy gloom and lit torch in its bracket. The small space was flooded with flickering amber light that reflected eerily off stacks of piled weaponry.

"What a mess!" Naruto said loudly as he stepped into the elderly chamber. There was an aura of death clinging to it. Cutting through the darkness as clear as day.

Mori strode forwards to a pile of cluttered katanas and kicked them lightly. They clattered to the floor in a panoply of cacophony, like the rattling of metallic bones.

"Thank-you Gaara-sama," Mori said shortly. "I'm sure we can find something in here to suit Mr. Uzumaki quite nicely. If you would be so kind I would like a bit of privacy for the both of us while he chooses the blade."

Naruto sputtered into life.

"Hey!" He shouted in protest. "That's just plain impolite man! He let us down here without for free and all you can say is 'thanks for the favour, see ya later Gaara-sama'? Jeez! And Sakura thinks **I'm **tactless. She should see you. Gaara's the freaking Kazekage! Show some respect would ya?"

Gaara's mouth twitched at the edges. That was Naruto, ever the considerate. Heh.

"Its alright," the young Kazekage conceded. "I'll leave you two for now, but I'll have a guard posted at the entrance to the stair just in case there's a problem."

Gaara stared pointedly at Mori, whose attitude signified the air of someone who is not quite concealing themselves to all eyes. That said, Gaara left the room in a swish of fabrics and his footsteps echoed down from the stairs.

"Yeash," Naruto breathed. "That _was_ my friend old man. Why'd you do that?"

"If he is indeed your friend, as you say, then he will not object to strongly to what I am about to show you." Mori said placidly.

"Now," he began. "I am going to teach you the most fundamental of basics in choosing a proper weapon."

Mori picked up a rusty dagger and held it firmly in his hand.

"Older weapons are more effective when used with chakra because they have already been exposed to the various chakra types, or elements. When a crafted blade, such as this one, has been used for a long period of time by a person with a certain kind of element in their chakra it makes it far easier for the next user of that type to wield the weapon. A newer blade is often difficult to break in because the metal is fresh and there is no chakra imprint. The trick, is in finding a blade that corresponds with your element type. That, is accomplished by pushing a small amount of chakra into the structure of the blade itself, like so."

Mori appeared to stand still for a second and then the dagger in his hand began to glow a bluish white. A low hum filled the air.

"Whoa!" Naruto exclaimed "Cool!"

"It's a simple trick that any shinobi can use to find his or her ideal weapon. You will need to use this often to test other things as well, do not forget."

Mori handed the dagger to Naruto.

"Now," he said. "I have studied your chakra patterns for quite some time now, and if I am not mistaken your primary element is wind, the same as mine. We'll go into secondary elements later, for now just concentrate on the blade and pouring your spirit energy into it. It should be easy enough now that has been opened up again."

"Alright!" Naruto shouted. "I can do this."

He stared at the dagger as if it had said something particularly offensive and scrunched up his face in harsh concentration.

"No no NO!" Mori shouted.

"Doing it that way is treating your blade like an enemy! In battle you cannot afford to fight with your partners or your tools. Think of it like an extension of your arm that you are only filling with what _should _be there, your chakra. Remember that, your sword is not just a weapon, it is a part of you. Learn to control it like any other limb or muscle and treat it as such."

This explanation made absolutely no sense to Naruto. He never was extremely good at figuring things out. Which was one of the reasons, he supposed, that Mori sent him so many damned riddles in his notes. It was frustrating, but maybe there was one way…

"So I just, think of it like any old limb right?"

Mori, didn't, care.

"Yes, yes, now try or go home."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at Mori momentarily and then began to calm himself. He could never make something go exactly as he wanted unless he had perfect quiet…most of the time. As the pommel of the dagger grew warm by the heat of his hand Naruto focused on its feel. Imagining that this was only a part of him that was rejoining the body. It reached the point where it was becoming difficult to differentiate between what was his hand and what was the dagger. Naruto was almost tempted to open his eyes and see, in a slight panic, if his had was still there, whole and separate. He decided, now was as good as any time.

He pushed.

The chakra slid into the blade like a key into a lock.

Naruto's eyes shot wide.

"Holy shit."

It was a soft utterance of oxymoronic proportions that Mori had no doubt heard in his lifetime before but, it left him crying with mirth.

"I never get tired of seeing that look!" He guffawed, a great thunderous peal of laughter.

"It's like you have just added another piece to your flesh yes?" He queried.

"Yeah, kinda," Naruto said in wonder. "Its weird, I can feel stuff through the metal. Not hot or cold, not feeling exactly, but there's something like it. I'zat supposed to happen?"

"Yes," Mori nodded. "Its good that you feel that, it means that you are more attuned to what the blade does. It will give you minute warnings on which way your enemies are going to turn next; nothing more, but it is a great advantage over those who just wield a weapon and do not know it properly."

Naruto was still staring, fascinated at the dagger when he sensed an object being whirled at his head from across the room. Left hand snaking out faster than he knew, Naruto snatched the object from the air. It was a dull katana.

"What was that for?!" He exclaimed in anger at Mori, who was rifling through the rusty stacks of age-old metal.

"Test it." Mori's voice came out even more muffled than usual from beneath a pile.

"See if you can use it. We have a long day ahead of us. You're going to test every single one of these 'rusty toothpicks' until we find one that is perfectly suited to you. I won't settle for less and neither are you."

Naruto groaned and dropped the dagger, beginning the process again with the katana.

And again, and again, and again…

---

Naruto was, well, tired, frustrated, hungry, irritated, and above all **bored**.

He didn't know how many hours had passed, only that they were long and fruitless. Mori, much to the young shinobi's disgust, had deigned to take a nap some time ago. Naruto was left in silence with the age old weaponry that was falling apart. He'd long since stopped holding every single blade and simply began passing a hand over each slowly to see if his energy would take.

No such luck.

His anger surfaced and Naruto aggressively pushed a stack over in frustration.

"Aagh!" He spat out.

"None of these work!" He kicked the pile one more time for good measure and plopped down on the floor. He sat for a moment in silence until a faint clattering prickled his ears. It was a mellowed sound because a sword, full in a leather cased scabbard was falling down the pile to rest benignly at Naruto's feet.

He stared at it disdainfully, and then at the ceiling.

"I get the feeling," he said. "That someone's trying to tell me something."

The sword just lay there, staring at him. He stared back. Naruto had the distinct impression that if he didn't test this blade it would haunt him in his dreams like some nagging guilt. He hated that sort of thing.

Naruto picked it up and sighed.

"Fine," he said. "One more time."

He withdrew the sword from its sheath and was greated with a cheerful ringing. It was still sharp, he saw with some surprise, shiny as if it had just come from the forge. He grinned, perhaps it wasn't so bad of a day after all. If this worked he'd have one hell of a wicked 'toothpick'. It wasn't very different from the other katanas, just brighter and more friendly.

Naruto closed his eyes and barely had to concentrate on focusing his chakra into the weapon before it blasted through the structure so easily he yelled in shock.

"Gah!" He fell onto his back, sword poised before his eyes in both hands. It hummed in his hands slightly and an odd crystal singing sound rang throughout the air as the edge of the blade burst into a flaming blue.

Mori started awake with a snort.

"Snnah?" He wandered up from sleep and then leapt to his feet upon spotting the ethereal light coming from Naruto's new sword. It flickered and bounced off his features, and turned his eyes a phantom blue.

"Oh, you've done it! Good work boy, not even my own blades are that fluid. The last person to bear that one must have had it for an awful long time. You're lucky, wind element weapons are rare. To find one in this condition is astounding."

Mori clapped Naruto lightly on the shoulder in congratulations and then made for the stairs with a yawning stretch.

"Come Mr. Uzumaki. We havn't all day to lie around!" He called down from the steps.

Naruto thought that was particularly hypocritical coming from someone who had been near snoresville two minutes ago. But he could not help the look of pure astonishment on his face as he thought of something that had just occurred to him.

"I didn't find it," he thought with some concern as he lay still on the earthy floor.

The sword continued to flicker and sing in the dimmed room, as if in greeting.

"It found me."


	11. Truth in Growth

---

There are some things humans value above all others; pride, honor, courage, strength…

But, who can truly say what these things are?

There can be no absolute to any of these for there is no equal balance to the scale of human emotion. Only those who are ruled by a want of destiny are truly, and absolutely chained.

---

The plains were awash in the blood-red setting of a desert sun. A sun that had been witness to one of the most prestigious exercises that had not been seen on over two centuries. If not the most ridiculous.

Earlier that day Mori and Naruto left Suna after a short re-visit with Gaara in his office. Naruto received and wrote letters to Konoha, along with his monthly shipment of supplies. It had been all in all a fairly good day. He'd completed the first phase of training successfully and passed into the second with reasonably little difficulty.

And he had a new sword…

That was what he was worried about.

There had been few instances in Naruto's life where he found it necessary to actually think about something seriously. That sword was one of them. As a person Naruto was skeptical of designed _coincidence_, fate or destiny, whatever you wanted to call it. As a ninja he spat on the idea that some all-knowing force was planning his future for him. Lie down and accept life as it was? Take it like a dog? Hell no!

That was why he was worried.

The sword was far too convenient for his taste; far too much of a god send-like incident. He looked at it now. It really was a simple blade, no etchings, no fancy things, simple. That was fine with him. The more complex a thing was the less he liked it. Naruto lay on the Rope Ledge, as he liked to call it, the place where he'd spent his last ninety-two mornings hanging from one end or the other. One of his arms was curled behind his head as a pillow, the other held the sword above his scrutinizing face, propped up on a knee.

Naruto looked at the sword with a mild apathy, turning it this way and that. The blade glimmered as it caught and threw the crimson light, liquid red against a black hilt…

Too familiar; Naruto flooded the metal with the blue brilliance of his chakra, blotting out the uncomfortable feeling the red invoked in him. Crimson on black, an avenger's colors.

The energy slid neatly into place, catching and locking. Mori had him practicing all day after the brought the sword back to the cleft. It had been a very odd series of exercises. He'd had Naruto hold the sword with various parts of his body and repeat the chakra flow over and over until he was sure Naruto could hold the process indefinitely. The strangest part was when he'd held it in his mouth. It was like having an extra tooth that was way too long and sharp.

The sword hummed in Naruto's hands; crystalline singing shooting through his skull and arms.

Naruto picked up the scabbard and sheathed it. He set it down by his side and heaved a sigh.

There had to be a reason for it. Why that thing clattered down to him, and only that. Perhaps Mori would know. In the morning.

---

Naruto was up with false dawn. The filmy black of the sky had yet to disappear and stars shimmered out from under wispy clouds. He climbed out of his bunk, a little stiff, stretched and yawned showing sharp incisors. His face, he felt unhappily, had become more angular, vulpine and pointed. All the water fat had drained from his body weeks ago, to be used by his body elsewhere, where it was needed most. As a result his skin was prone to stretching uncomfortably over his frame. It was becoming too thin for his liking, out here in the desert.

He looked up at the stars.

What was Sakura doing right now? Probably sleeping, resting for another day at the hospital. Iruka would be with the new cadets in the academy that day, dealing with whatever problems arose. Kakashi would be doing Kakashi things, perhaps delving into the latest Icha Icha Paradise novel edition. Naruto smirked up at the stars. Yeah, Kakashi would be doing something like that.

Naruto rolled his sleep sore shoulders and limbered up for a run. He had energy to burn before breakfast. He took off into the brightening atmosphere, loping along the plateaus and crevasses. It was a good way to sharpen instinct and reflex with all those little twists and turns.

It would give him time to think.

---

He didn't feel like cooking that morning, Naruto was too energized and lacked the patience. Instead he grabbed two mandarins from his pack and peeled them down to the fleshy orange fruit inside. Damn they were good.

Fresh produce was scarce in Suna, when he'd received these as a payment for a small favor he'd performed it was the equivalent of gold in their society. There had been a problem though. He'd thanked the lady who gave them to him but admitted, sheepishly, he had absolutely no idea how to eat the darned things.

She'd laughed at that, not at him, and told him, or rather showed him the proper way to peel a mandarin orange. He was hooked on the things ever since. He still loved ramen, but there were so many new things here and there, to try and to buy and to see. It was one of the ways he burned his energy, just running around town, doing the odd job in exchange for supplies.

It was a really nice thing actually. No one there knew what was inside of him. No one looked at him with those cold eyes that belonged to so many people in Konoha. He pitied those people actually, the cold ones. They were so stuck on the past that moving forward was like banging on a brick wall. Going nowhere faster than the speed of light.

Naruto ate the fruit as he walked, a piece at a time, out of the cleft towards the mouth of the fissure. He'd barely taken three steps outside when Mori suddenly appeared in front of him. This was so unexpected that Naruto yelped in momentary fright and leapt backwards at the same time.

"Jeez!" He exclaimed. "Don't **do** that! I nearly choked to death you idiot!"

Mori simply stood there.

"If you were more aware of your surroundings things like that would not happen." He dead panned.

Naruto scowled, shoved the rest of the fruit in his mouth, and folded his arms in defiance.

Mori tilted his head to one side.

"Did you know you look like a disgruntled chipmunk?" He said curiously.

Naruto began to choke on the food.

"Because you do," said Mori. "You look like a chipmunk with those things in your cheeks. Best chew them thoroughly before you asphyxiate yourself."

Naruto chomped down furiously and swallowed painfully. His eyes watered.

"Dammit Mori!" He coughed. "Stop saying things like that! They make no sense!"

Mori shrugged. It was no concern of his how others took his words. He was simply there to teach.

"You don't have your sword with you I see," Mori observed.

"Huh?" Naruto was confused for a second. "Oh! My sword," He said dully. "Yeah, I've been meaning to ask you something about it. It just doesn't see-EEEM! WHAT THE HELL?!"

Almost too fast for him to dodge Mori had drawn a pair of scimitar out of his robes and slashed at Naruto's midsection.

"What are you trying to do?" Naruto cried angrily as he dodged again. Another slash. "Kill me?!"

"Precisely," Mori replyed coolly. "Each time I catch you without your sword I will attack you until it is driven into your skull that being careless with your primary weapon can get you killed."

Naruto spun out of the slinging path of the flying metal.

"That's not fair!" He complained loudly whilst dodging. "I havn't got any kind of weapon on me, not even a spare kunai!"

Mori simply kept at it.

"Then I suggest you go find one," he retorted smoothly. "Before I find 'very creative ways' to turn you into a pincushion."

Naruto growled on all fours as he nearly flattened himself to dodge a particularly deadly swing and then shot off into the fissure behind him. Mori was close, too close on his tail in pursuit. A slash from one of the scimitar severed the remainder of what had been Naruto's robes at the back.

"HEY!" Naruto shouted in protest. "This is my only set of clothes, you could at least leave them in one piece!"

Mori didn't reply. Instead he increased the number of swings and his pace as well.

Naruto's eyes widened as he saw the blade arc through the air, howling for bloodletting, biting at his side. He barely managed to put on an extra burst of speed, getting cut slightly in the process as he flew into the cleft and snatched up his sword where he left it.

He had one second to act.

Naruto flung off the scabbard and whipped around to block the descent of Mori's twin scimitar, snapping at his head. The impact seared through his arms and skittered down the length of his bones. Hellfire! This man was a freaking maniac!

"Dammit, MORI! Are you trying to kill me or train me bastard? Eh?!"

Mori leaned harder into the force of his swords, pressing down onto Naruto's bending, shaking frame.

"Both," he said, quite cheerily, as if this was something one might discuss over a cup of tea. "If I did not come at you with the intent to kill you would soon forget this lesson entirely." Mori put more weight on the stalemate, which coupled with the Raccogilitori on Naruto's wrists, felt like an elephant had landed on his sword.

"All right! I GET THE MESSAGE!" Naruto yelled. Mori let up and sheathed the scimitar so suddenly that Naruto plopped to the ground in shaking heaves.

"Lesson number two is complete, I think," said Mori to the quaking youth.

"Carelessness can get you killed. From what I have seen of you Mr. Uzumaki you have quite a bit of power hidden inside. But that brute force means absolutely squat when you pit it against a tactical mind. Lesson one was speed. You are fast and your endurance is wonderful, but you've yet to learn lesson three: Conservation. You give away all of your tricks far too soon Mr. Uzumaki, just as you spend your energy and your chakra frivolously, like a Daimyo's simpering wife. You could be much quicker, much stronger, and much more effective if you could only learn to control that raging temper of yours! From what I know so far you have immense potential and a good heart, but let me make this clear,"

Mori knelt done with purpose and looked Naruto directly in the eye.

"The difference between having emotions and being controlled by them on the battlefield is a very simple thing. The person who has emotions uses them to make themselves stronger, the person who is controlled by their emotions is the corpse they've just slain. Those who are impulsive, who take the easy route and give themselves over to aggression have signed their death contract years in advance. Those kind of warriors die many times inside themselves because they are constantly at war with their own conscience. You cannot afford to be at war with yourself, ever."

Naruto was looking at the ground, knuckles shaking, clenched white on the hilt of his sword while the other hand was balled into a tight fist.

"There's… a person I knew who was like that. They were always stronger than me, faster, smarter too, and I hated that so I did my best to compete with him, every single damn time…I used to think that he was stronger than me because he was so calm and cool, heh, I realize now that he wasn't exactly the sanest guy I could've picked to follow, but hey, shit happens right? He might have been the best damn shinobi in our entire village, who knows, but emotionally he was a bit of a weakling, I think. That's why he left, to try and severe that from himself. Only I don't think it worked the way he wanted it to, and now…Well I really don't know what's happened to him because its been so long, but the last time I saw him, the person inside was…completely dead…"

Naruto looked up at Mori stubbornly.

"But what if the reason I'm doing this training is so that I can go to war with myself? Huh? What if I end up like _him_? I don't want that. I really…don't."

Mori let out a puff of air.

"Boy you're already halfway there to preventing it."

"Eh?" Naruto quirked a brow. "How?"

Mori extended a hand to the fallen youth.

"You've recognized the fact that that person is the one you fear to become. Recognizing something in yourself is the first step to avoiding it. The second is learning _how _to avoid it. So I will teach you control, but it will take a lot of time, and a lot of patience. Training the mind is a lot harder than training the body."

Naruto took the proffered hand and drew himself to his feet.

"…Yeah," he said quietly and snorted a bit. "I just get so angry, so easily. Dunno why, I just…do."

Mori clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Boy," he said. "That is what you are going to learn. Now sheath that sword of yours and we'll be off. There is much you need to know, and I presume that we have very little time to cover it in."

Naruto nodded and then went over to the thrown scabbard of his sword, lying in the dust. He bent down to pick it up, but paused, short of putting away his blade.

"Yo, Mori?" He called apprehensively over his shoulder. "There's something that's been bothering me about this thing, and I've… been meaning to ask you about it."

"And what might that be?" Mori's voice echoed back.

Naruto scratched at the ground with the tip of his blade, drawing swirlies in the loose sand.

"Well," he said a bit anxiously. "Is it possible for a sword to be, I dunno, alive?"

Mori was silent for a second and then laughed, hysterically.

"Hoo! Boy, you have some very odd thoughts floating in that mind of yours. I daresay too many! But no, swords cannot have souls, I never met a sword that did. Have you ever seen a hunk of metal talk or complain about being used? I haven't. Why would you ask such a ludicrous thing?"

Naruto scowled and flushed with embarassment.

"It just seemed like, too much of coincidence? Oh, never mind! Yeash…Stupid question anyways." Naruto stomped to the entrance of the cleft and was stopped by Mori's voice two steps from leaving it.

"It felt like it came to you didn't it?"

Naruto stood stock still.

"How'd you know?…"

Mori shrugged, invisible to Naruto's eyes.

"A hunch really. What you were describing is something I have encountered many times before. It's called the elemental magnetism phenomenon, or the EMP effect. When two objects, or beings of the same element are near each other they tend to be attracted. It's an event that has been baffling shinobi scientists for years. Logically when two of the same thing meet each other they should repel one another, like when a positive meets a positive. Even the name 'magnetism' is wrong because there is no negative in the equation. Does that answer your question?"

Naruto's shoulders visibly sagged in relief.

"Yeah it does. Damn, for a while I thought the stupid hunk a'junk was possessed!" Naruto laughed and pulled the sword from its sheath, flooding it with light blue chakra.

"That makes things a whole lot easier for me. I don't have to worry about…ghosts or anything with you old sharpie now do I?" Naruto gazed happily at the sword, thankful that there was nothing sinister about it after all. He walked out of the cleft, failing to notice the awful quiet that had descended on his teacher.

Mori was glad, and a little morose. Naruto had a fine blade.

_'May it serve him well…' _He thought gently.

_'As it did…for me.'_

---

For the next week Naruto underwent the most rigorous, stringent, back breaking, mind bending string of exercises he had ever experienced. From untying Mori's 'flaming knots of death' to stretch his patience, to sword practice with thousands of shadow clones. That one had Mori stunned for a bit, Naruto was proud to say. What he didn't expect was that training would triple in difficulty after the smart-ass saw that.

After week one of training, just as Mori predicted, it got worse.

The effects of the Anima Raccoglitori kicked in. Naruto's arms felt like they were about to fall off every day. Lifting his feather-light sword was like lifting an anvil, and every step dragged horribly. Thankfully his shadow clones had prepared him enough in training with his blade that he had been able to master the basics in a few days. It was something that would have taken a normal man years to accomplish; but as the clones winked out of existence and their memories slammed back into Naruto's brain, he probably would have preferred the years.

The weeks came and went, bringing new challenges, trials, and ordeals for Naruto.

His temper was checked, Mori had seen to that. Naruto would never forget how he learned that lesson. It was probably one of the worst he had endured. A paper test.

Mori tested him daily for a week. Each one of a hundredclones was given questions to answer in the most tactical way possible. If the clone did not answer correctly, Mori attacked. Naruto was not allowed to replace the clone so their dodging skills became impeccable, as well as clones can anyway. It came to the point where Naruto was constantly having to analyze his surroundings, the way things worked, because Mori tended to derive his questions from the most unlikely of sources. For example:

"If your opponent uses chop-sticks as a weapon, how would you respond?"

That had been the most ridiculous thing Naruto had ever heard. But Mori said that it was possible so he tried his hardest to answer with a feasible response.

Mori hadn't been lying when he said it wouldn't be easy, but Naruto survived. By the end of "Hell's Gauntlet" as Mori liked to call it the young shinobi had exceeded all expectation, including his own.

You couldn't find a more mischievous youth anywhere for miles around but he retained that calm and hidden just under the surface. He had grown two more inches, stretching his already thinning frame. His arms were laden with whip corded reflex, which he'd also had to learn to control after accidentally whacking Mori in the head one too many times. What did you expect when you snuck up on a ninja? A pillow fight?

It came to the last day of the second phase. In order to graduate from it Naruto would have to defeat Mori in a combat situation, using all of the skills he had learned thus far.

Naruto smirked, a wicked glint shone in his eyes that was positively fiendish. Wait until the old bastard saw what he'd been practicing in secret…

As he waited for Mori to arrive that morning Naruto stared out into the horizon, not so young any more. He went over the lessons in his head, the vitals of shinobi survival: Speed, Thought, and Control.

"Keep those three things in mind boy and the rest will solve itself."

Mori had said that, two weeks ago, and eternity ago when Naruto was struggling angrily with the new and drastic cut in his chakra levels. (Not to mention weight that would stagger an oxen.)

By now he had learned enough to know that even with the lowest of levels, if used correctly, chakra was a deadly tool. It was a rueful smile that spread across his lips at that. Just how much more deadly did it need to be? He wondered about that sometimes. If he was changing too much, too soon.

But then today would tell him all about that wouldn't it?

The battle to see if he was indeed able to go the entire distance in training with Mori. The last day of the fourth month in the Northern Desert of Suna.

_'Just you wait,'_ Naruto thought quietly.

_'I'll show you something nobody's never seen Mori. Just wait until you see…what I can do."_


	12. One Half of the Equation

**Author's Note: I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. As the holidays approach I am finding very little time to write as well or as quickly as I would like, so the quality may not be up to par. On another note, Small Gods will be on temporary hiatus from December 22nd to January 10th. I will be away in the United States and other parts of the world on an extended vacation. I'm very excited about this and I hope it goes well. I very much appreciate all the support you readers have shown me. As a gift and a favour to one of my readers I have included the future name of Naruto's sword in this chapter. The only catch is that I will not be telling you where it is. See if you can figure it out eh? Thank you for your time and consideration.**

**Sincerely,**

**-A. L. Anderson**

---

Sunrise grew to be a dramatic affair. After false dawn the colors seared over the sky above in a wild panoply of color. The sun was red. Naruto frowned at that. There would be a storm later that day. A low breeze swirled across the plains and tugged at Naruto's ragged clothing.

It was time.

He stepped onto the plains with a calm, almost lazy stride. He'd had to wrap both chest and arms in bandages that morning, it was starting to get cold in the desert and Mori's 'teaching' had decimated what was left of his tunic a month ago. So clad in flapping tatters about his legs, sword at his waist, and white linen bandage wrapping, Naruto stopped one hundred meters from the fissure.

He snorted; ironically, he was starting to look more and more like Mori, with the bandages and all. Heh.

"Alright I know you're there old man," he said whispered loudly. "Stop hiding in the sand and lets start this show."

A rumble from beneath signaled something rising from the depths of the earth. Suddenly a great fountain of dirt spewed up into the air, turning like a tornado. When it settled Mori stood at the center, cool as a cucumber.

"You are ready to begin?" He said.

Naruto nodded.

"I don't want to put this off anymore than I have to, I know I'm ready. We fight."

Mori crossed his arms.

"I notice that you have only your sword, boy. Maybe a hidden kunai or two. Are you completely certain that is all you'll need?"

Naruto smiled, mockingly.

"You're the one who taught me to downsize old man, don't expect me to change that just because this is the last day. Besides, my sword is all I'll need to defeat you. I thought about it, and yeah, that's all I'll need."

Mori's arms went to the inside of his robes and drew his scimitar.

"If you are completely sure?…" He questioned placidly.

Naruto drew out his own blade and held it at attention.

"Do I look like I'm going anywhere?" He said derisively.

Mori chuckled.

"Just checking," he said jovially. "I do warn you though, if you do not intend to kill me today then you will most likely die. I will not be restraining any of my full power and you already have a handicap with the Raccoglitori."

Mori gestured with a singular point.

Naruto crouched, flooded his sword with blazing blue chakra, and just grinned.

"I don't even feel em." He said boldly and tapped one on his ankle with the tip of his blade.

"So hurry up and lets start because I can feel myself getting old waiting for your doddering mind to make itself up."

Mori simply saluted Naruto with the hilt of a scimitar and dropped the attack. Their feet both twisted and then shot them forwards like air born springs. They flew together with such a fiery display that the only completely distinguishable features were the flashing gold of Naruto's hair and the blue witch-fire of the chakra filled blades, clashing, and clanging, and singing (in Naruto's case), against the other's.

It was spectacular event.

Anyone from Suna would have heard the faintest of metallic notes floating on the wind. Gaara did. The Kazekage had stopped a meeting when he first heard the eerie sounds drifting in from the Northern Desert. As he watched, in the distance he could see a swirling of blue accompanied by a musical parade of sword strikes. His council had been concerned. Was it an attack? Should they prepare for an enemy?

No, the Kazekage had smiled, which frightened the council members. No there was nothing wrong at all.

---

Mori's scimitar whistled through the air to bite off the head of their opponent. Naruto simply ducked. It was an old trick that Mori employed, feigning for the head and goading the enemy to attack the torso which was when the mistake would always come. Naruto knew it well. There would always be a blade waiting to meet his throat as he attacked at the stomach; predictable.

In training he'd thought Mori just kept making the same mistake, over and over, leaving his midsection wide open. But as Naruto grew he noticed a method to the strike. It was a lesson, even in swordplay there are tricks to fool the enemy. So Naruto, being the ever resourceful person he was, came up with a few of his own.

Naruto purposefully took the bait and drove for Mori's stomach. He caught the momentary flicker of disappointment in his teacher's eyes. He smirked, imperceptibly, and met Mori's scimitar with his own blade. For the split second that the shuddering metal connected Naruto forced his own chakra violently through his sword into the offending weapon.

Mori was shocked backwards with crushing force. His right scimitar rang with crying discord and the left --- shattered into a rain of deadly silver shards.

That…was not something he had taught Naruto.

There was no time for talk, but a quirk of the brow said all Mori needed to. You made that one up yourself didn't you? A wild grin greeted him in a another clash. Of course I did, it said. You didn't think I would just run in without having something to catch you off guard, did you old man?

All of this took place in exactly one minute and twenty-seven seconds.

The two combatants sprang apart with wings on their feet, swords flying and lungs working to meet the demands their bodies required of them. Mori noticed something.

He wasn't tired yet but…

Then again, neither was his student.

It had been three hours since they began.

---

The sky had become a seething mass of broiling anger, near black as night. Just as predicted, a storm had come. Signaling perhaps the first day of Suna's rainy season. The heat had been sapped from all things for miles around. Mothers in the village were partitioning out blankets to the poorly dressed. This season promised to be a long one by the looks of it, to make up for the dry spell earlier that year.

Three people however paid absolutely no attention to the weather other than to acknowledge it would change the way the day progressed. The first of these was the Kazekage. Standing on his office balcony, heedless of the water soaking him to the bone, Gaara watched the continuous staccato flash of two swordsmen as their weapons sparked and flared. Five hours…

And these two swordsmen were the others in the rain and crashing thunder, fighting each other without pause, without hesitation, and quicker than, Gaara guessed, the eye could follow.

Five hours since it began.

---

Six hours…

Why hadn't he stopped? He never faltered, not once. The execution was perfect, he treated this fight like any other exam. He saw the question in the swing of the blade, and he answered it, perfectly, perfectly. But why? Why was he not tired?

Mori was fighting on pure mechanics, he'd learned this dance ages ago, when he ran "Hell's Gauntlet" as a young shinobi. But the final test, had never, never gone on this long. And neither combatant was tired. Naruto, all gods be damned, was not showing the slightest hint of fatigue.

In Mori's experience this was not possible unless you had some sort of unlimited stamina.

Well… This youth certainly was a surprising fellow. Perhaps he had just that. Mori wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

Suddenly, as they sprang apart as times before incalculable, Naruto stopped and dropped to one knee, one hand supporting himself on his sword.

Mori did not hesitate and raised to the attack.

Ah…so there was a limit.

Mori was a total of about thirty feet away when the first of the tremors started. His footing became unsure and he had to halt in mid-charge. He squinted through a heavier rain to see what was going on. Naruto hadn't moved, but the smile on his face told Mori all he needed to know.

In a snap-flash of lightning strikes the dark sky was illuminated for a second and so was half of Naruto's face. Wild eyes shone with barely contained excitement and his mouth was curved into the most fiendish grin. A speck of light flickered of an odd blue stone at his neck, he always wore that; and, Mori surmised, he was not tired either.

It had been a sham. The whole act of feigning fatigue, was to get him to come closer Mori realized as the ground beneath him blossomed into the air with the force of an erupting volcano. As the earth exploded beneath him and threw him into the air Mori wove a complex series of hand seals.

This had to end, now.

He had seen that look before on too many faces. Young men who grew addicted to their power. It was dangerous, too dangerous. This had to be stopped, had to be.

And it did.

But not the way he intended.

The greater clods of dirt slowed as if falling through a syrup of some sort, and stayed there, in the air. Mori was standing on one of them.

How was this possible…

In two hundred years this kind of jutsu had not been seen. Wind chakra had the ability to levitate things very easily. On this scale however…Not in two hundred years. Certainly not on the low level of chakra that the boy possessed.

Suddenly, as if he had appeared out of thin air, and just as quietly. Naruto was standing beside him. Soaked, still and…calm. There was no trace of the fiend in him anymore. But by all the gods…that had been a trick too. That face!

"You know," said Naruto tranquilly over the pounding of the rain. "I just realized something."

Mori didn't look at him.

"Oh? And what is that?"

Naruto picked up a rock and flipped it in his hand then spun it out into the air. It skipped as if on water and then rested, floating in the breeze.

"I'm going to have to use almost all of my tricks to beat you." He smiled happily. There was nothing left except silence, the rain, and…

This boy…

This man…

"You've been conserving."

Mori stated. It wasn't a question; just a confirmation, a fact.

"Yeah," Naruto said. "I have."

"How long?"

"A couple of weeks; figured I'd need it."

A snort, some laughter, Mori shook his head.

"I should have known…"

"But you didn't! That's the fun part."

"Well Mr. Uzumaki, you have my attention, my **full** attention."

Naruto continued to smile.

"Good," he said. "Keep your eyes open because I can only do this once. Today anyhow."

"You're giving me the advantage?"

"Why not? You're going to lose anyways"

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"

Lightning split the sky in two and a magnificent thunder rumbled over the plains.

"You may have more energy than I do. Hell, you're leagues smarter too."

Naruto stepped to the edge of the hovering ground.

"But there's one thing that I've exceeded you in, even with these weights."

He lifted a clinking arm and shook the Raccoglitori.

"I am…"

He winked out of sight right before Mori's eyes --- and appeared, fifty feet away.

"Faster than you!" Naruto crowed high above the storm.

Mori watched, captivated, as Naruto grew progressively farther away. Appearing and disappearing, until he was nothing but a dim speck in the washed out distance.

…

Mori had half expected the thin cold metal that snaked its way around his face and poised itself quietly at his throat.

"That," Mori said in dim shock. "Is not humanly possible."

Naruto sighed behind him.

"It isn't," he said grimly. "But you and I both know that I've never been completely human."

Mori went to sheath his lone scimitar.

"DON'T!" Naruto's voice rang out, urgent and pressing.

"We're not done yet, I'm not…That wasn't fair. Please, just, fight me with everything."

Naruto lowered his sword.

"You've won Mr. Uzumaki. Shouldn't that be enough; why should you want to continue? You've won, its over, there is nothing left to do today." Mori was still.

"Liar," said Naruto fiercely. "You know it as well as I do. This isn't first day training knots you bastard! This is 'the' test. If I don't defeat you here, at your fullest, without a scam, then all of this means nothing!" Naruto ranted on.

"You may think it's finished; that I've 'won'? Don't feed me that crap old man! Either you're doing it on purpose, or not, I don't care, but you're insulting me and yourself by putting away your weapon right now. I can't believe that and I won't; so face me damn you. Face me!"

"Mori's gaze traveled to the injured sky, a shaft of light was struggling through the clouds.

"You are…a very interesting person Mr. Uzumaki. Nothing I can say will change your mind will it?" He said plainly.

"As if," Naruto retorted. "You know that old man, I'm more stubborn than you on any day."

There was a pause and then metal met metal and the two shinobi's clashed again.

"I was hoping," Mori bantered after the rocketing form of his student.

"That you would say that."

_'Well done, you pass the first part of the test.'_

Naruto just laughed, using the levitated earth to direct his movements through the air.

"Don't hope old man!" He yelled with absolute confidence, unbreakable spirit.

"Count on it!"

---

In the time that followed the few souls that were watching were unable to look back and fully explain what they saw. Years later, the only person who had the slightest idea of what had occurred was the Kazekage, and he mostly kept to himself.

The only thing that could truly be said was "something was born that day", as the clouds parted into a blazing ring of sunlight, and revealed the laws of graity broken open like bare bones.

A housewife in the second district reported that the very ground had risen up in rebellion.

A fruit seller two blocks over swore he saw the gods themselves battling in the heavens.

They were both wrong.

They were both right.

---

The flow of air inside Naruto's sphere of levitation was so great that it broke open the cloud-cover above. Whirling up, down, in all directions, it was a giant representation of the Rasengan. Wind currents replaced the flow of chakra, the only difference were those massive chunks of earth floating around.

At first it had been puzzling. Why do this? It seemed to serve no purpose for Naruto. Until Mori watched closely for a little while and discovered the reason, almost by fluke.

The faster the human body went, the harder it was to control. Mori was looking directly ahead at a slowly revolving rock and it moved backwards seconds before his reflexes told him to raise his sword and block.

And then it hit him, both Naruto and a realization. The boy was using the clods of dirt as springboards, to stop shoot himself in any direction he wished.

It was genius.

Too bad Mori was already familiar with Naruto's attack patterns and, being himself a wind elemental, could easily adapt to this new development.

That didn't mean he could win.

Mentor and student soared at each other faster than the eye could follow. Crystal sword song followed their progress like the wailing of ghosts, trailing the phantom blue lines of chakra light; and Mori knew it all. The timing, the movements, it was all familiar, except for one tiny detail, depending on how you looked at it.

Naruto wasn't expending any more chakra than the amount needed to maintain the sphere,and soon Mori would know why.

"You can keep up with me old man?" Naruto's voice echoed and mocked from all directions, wraithlike.

"You've got more guts on you than I thought!"

Mori looked up and to the right.

"It would be that way," he said, fluidly blocking an invisible strike.

"If you were not so predictable."

Another strike.

Mori looked like he was batting at a cloud of black flies with a very sharp swatter.

Ridiculous…

"Predict this old man!" Naruto appeared…along with a hundred shadow clones.

"We're going to beat you to a pulp!" They said in unison.

Mori nearly sighed in exasperation. Here at the end, this boy decides to pull that trick? Something he's seen countless times before? Maybe he wasn't ready at all. He would be wary nonetheless. Tricks can be disguised as tricks on any day.

The clones all smiled maniacally and rushed at Mori all at once, one in particular leading the forefront.

Reckless.

Mori raised a hand and formed an odd seal, nothing the land had seen before, and called it.

"Sen' Yuu!"

A great beast formed from the swirling winds and procured in his hands two very large axes. With one stroke he both defended Mori and wiped out the clones who all wore identical expressions of dumbfounded shock.

There was no human counterpart among them.

Mori scanned the silent floating earth as his jutsu beast dissipated into the wind again. His narrowed eyes peered for any sign, any movement, yet there was none. Only the sun bleached white sand that was drying from the circle of light above.

Silent, wasteland.

If Mori hadn't taught Naruto how to mask his chakra signature so well he might have noticed that for the past half hour, he had not been fighting Naruto at all. Merely a shadow of him. Nothing more.

When the clones had been popped and their memories returned to the original Naruto had exactly what he wanted: images of Mori's location, and, the surrounding area. It was all he would need.

On his own, weeks before Mori had first made his first appearance, Naruto had been practicing full body chakra manipulation; in his hands and feet, his head, even his eyes, he had mastered that ability to emit it from any part he wished. Though it had taken a hellish effort and many back-lashing cuts, he'd managed; managed to combine chakra manipulation with his own wind element, the same as he had done for the Rasengan. Difficult, and very dangerously attempted, he succeeded in creating a living defense.

The clincher had been when Mori introduced the 'sword test', molding one's chakra to an inanimate object. By practicing this daily, Naruto's defense had turned into an offense. He could reach out, any place within a hundred feet of his foe and invade their charka system, if he wished. A defense had become an offense, and by so doing, Naruto could pressure an object's dimensions to such an extent that they were damaged, such as with Mori's luckless scimitar.

Naruto stood, quiet, completely calm and upside down, sticking with chakra to the bottom of Mori's perch. The old man moved a bit overhead; he could feel it. Naruto closed his eyes and just felt. The movements of his mentor above as the currents spread out from him and around him, creating a disturbance. The quality of his energy, a peculiar thumping, the exact position…where to strike…

There!

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he executed his move quickly. He would have to be fast, no warning, in order to succeed. He could only do this once, timed to the second Mori attempted to leave the platform.

Naruto lifted his sword and stabbed it forcibly into the ground above. He willed his entire being through that thrust. Energy, spirit, mind, the near last of his chakra spent in one precise amount. The strike sheared the rock and sand like paper and shot directly at Mori's leaping form.

It pierced through the cloth, shoulder meat, and the heart, which immediately ceased to beat. There had been no time…no time at all to pull the chakra back, speeding at the velocity of light. He felt Mori's energy signature flicker.

"NO!!!" Naruto yelled into the deafening din that roared down after his control over the jutsu snapped. It couldn't be. No, no, no, no, NO!

"I didn't aim for that, I didn't." Naruto said to himself frantically as he leapt through the cascading dirt. The winds fell and the clouds rushed back in, and as if a curtain had been drawn over the eyes of the world.

"God dammit! MORI! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

He knew it was his fault, it had to be his fault, he felt it with every cell in his body.

'_Don't be dead. Don't be dead. Don't be dead.'_

Naruto searched through all of the falling rubble, tried to find his teacher, friend, whatever the twisted relationship was that kept them together, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if all he could find…was a corpse.

_'Don't be dead. Don't be dead. Don't be dead.'_

As the earth crashed down all around him in crushing heaps as Naruto reached the very ground, at the distant back of his mind, he felt something go dark.

God…

The whisper was empty and lost.

"Where are you…Mori"


	13. Answer Before the Road

**Author's Note: Don't count your Mori's before you've seen their heads lopped off and delivered to your front door via postal air service, complete with holiday wrapping. Did I say he was dead? Did I? Good gracious, what do you take me for; some sadistic brute of an author who enjoys playing with the delicate mental states of their characters? Well of course I do but I've decided to keep the bloody bugger around for a little while longer. I like him too much to kill him off so quickly. Warning: Insanity is present in the halls of the madman. Figure _that _if you can.**

---

There are some days that time seems to escape men. It disappears, as if it never were, and never will be again.

As Naruto sat in the midst of the damp devastation his jutsu had caused, time fled from his being. He was just sitting, staring blankly. The rain had stopped hours ago and the sun was out again, setting. A small bird whirred and chirruped cheerfully in the wake of the storm and landed without fear on the tip of Naruto's sword, hilt limp in his hands.

He didn't look at it.

The bird.

He had searched for hours in the deluge pouring from the sky; stumbled through the muck of the disturbed earth slocking at his feet. He didn't dare be impatient and blast any of the rubble; but damn it, he wanted to! He wanted to be free, careless, uncramped and confined by his life; but he knew, Naruto knew, that would never be again. He had a new weight on his shoulders, not the kind that you can take off when you want to, a creeping despair that had set into his bones and would not come out. It was an arthritic agony in the soul, a stain.

_'To a be a shinobi,' _Kakashi once said. '_Is to accept the stains of bloodshed.' _

That was one of the reasons Naruto had taken to perfecting bloodless strikes of late. Sniperish single-shot stabs, nothing fancy, just simple, and dead.

It was too easy.

He'd sat down after that, sat down in the mud and the mire, uncaring, caring too much. He didn't find a single fragment, no flesh or fiber of Mori's being, nothing, nothing; and as the rain crashed down into his life, washing through his horrifying guilt, Naruto tasted salt on his cracked and bleeding lips, realizing with some distant part of his mind that he was crying.

---

Evening became night, spangled with the open vastness of an alien landscape. It was very beautiful, it always had been. Frost collected in hoary wreaths on the larger rocks and turned the sands to glittering mountains, incandescent in the ice riddled moonlight. Then night melted away into morning, scraping the sky with ragged orange and soft sapphiric blue. Through it all life continued on in the seasonal pattern: small birds huddling in crevasses, the tinier lizards scuttling away into dark corners to hibernate, for the raining time was always the coldest part of the year in the desert, a kind of liquid winter.

He didn't move.

Uzumaki Naruto just sat there looking at his sword, and his hands…

His breathing was steady, slow and rhythmic, very relaxed.

Several curious visitors had deigned to make the journey towards the site of the previous day's great disturbance. They plucked and clucked around the wreckage, like so many fussy chickens. He'd nearly laughed at that.

Chickens.

He didn't look at them quite directly. Some of them had stopped to try and talk with him. What had happened here? And he looked at them, looked at them all and couldn't speak. His thoughts had settled into a kind of muddled swarm. There were words and sounds but he couldn't make them come to his mouth. They stuck in his throat, screaming at the teeth to let them out. But nothing made sense.

Naruto looked at them and it was unnerving to the people. Those alien blue eyes, they stared right through you! The intruders left in scandalized whispers. Was he the one that caused all this? He sure was a strange fellow. But he helped in the village sometimes. What was he doing all the way out here in this suspicious place? No good, no doubt. No good.

Nothing made sense.

Why was chaos such an attraction? It wasn't pretty, nothing good came of it. So why?

The wind picked up in the air, wrapping comfortably around Naruto's skin. He was stiff, and sore.

Where was the sense in all of this? No life was worth strength, he knew that, yet shinobi rules dictated it. To become an efficient ninja any sacrifice was negotiable, even human life.

What complete and utter bull.

That was his opinion on the grayest of days. You didn't trade a soul for strength, because in the end you only ended up damning yourself.

The wind swirled in little dust devils across the chilly plains, and the arid wasteland seemed all the more desolate.

The true salvation…what was that?

Sand sailed on a gusting breeze, circling, circling.

How do you save something that you always seemed to be losing? No matter how hard he tried, Naruto always felt a step behind the rest of the world, always running to catch up. He never seemed to get to the final payoff, the end of the line, where all his hard work would _mean _something. He was impassioned to reach that goal, his own strength; and when he finally seemed to…

"Passion is no substitute for perspiration," Mori would say.

Naruto would know when he had reached his goal.

The grit laden winds coalesced and whorled into a shreening pillar behind Naruto, stoked with sparks of odd flashing.

Naruto knew now, he'd climbed to the top and for one split second, he'd tasted a very sweet fruit. Too bad the aftertaste was like swallowing knives.

Why did it have to be like this?

"I always did tell you that, whenever you got off track boy. But I think that maybe, for you, they go hand in hand. Passion and perspiration, quite the combination I must say. That's something a hard heart will never understand, and a good weapon too, surprising really."

Naruto could almost hear the bastard spewing out his latest ream of philosophical psychobabble.

"You wouldn't believe how long it took to put myself back together! Oh, well, of course you do. You've been waiting here all this time I take it? That is quite the jutsu. I think I may have left an atom or two in those rocks of yours. I feel rather scattered at the moment so you'll excuse me if I'm not exactly complete, from the waist down anyhow."

In fact, Naruto was pretty damn sure he was hearing Mori-the-should-be-dead-and-buried-moron, right now.

"If you had any idea how hard it is to de-compile your physiological structure into trillions of Lilliputian particles in the instant of falling and then trying to find all your pieces after being crushed under so many tonnes of blasted sandstone I doubt you would be quick to try that again! No matter, I'm quite complete now. Ah it feels good to have legs again."

Naruto's head turned slowly to see the last of his teacher materialize out of rapidly swirling air and sand.

Not.

Freaking.

Possible.

He stepped towards his student, whose brain had broken, bold as you please, with the air of someone greeting an old friend after a particularly long trip.

"What is the matter with you boy? You look surprised, terrified actually if I may say so. Surely you didn't expect something as simple as a stab through the heart could kill me?"

Naruto really had a hard time trying to make his mind work. There was this really numb and buzzing sensation at the bottom of his thoughts; which kept on getting larger with each passing moment.

"Hello in there," Mori waved a hand over Naruto's glazed expression. "Is anyone home upstairs? Hello?" Mori knocked lightly with a bandaged hand on the blonde's head. This proved to be the catalyst for a very violent, very sudden scuttle on Naruto's part, away from the hand-that-should-not-exist.

He moved backwards, like a crab, on elbows and failing legs.

"Ghost," was the first word that came out of Naruto's mouth. The first word in nearly an entire day.

"Ghoo-oost…" He pointed at Mori with a shaky hand.

Mori stepped towards Naruto with his hands up in defense.

"I assure you," he said. "I am quite solid. I understand you must be in a bit of shock right now but there is no reason to…"

Naruto jumped up faster than he had ever done while fighting Mori and sped off in the opposite direction as fast as he could; shouting as he ran a very long and drawn out GHOOO-OOOST!

"…panic."

Mori sighed…what a day. A lot of explaining would need to be done, he thought, as he jogged lazily after Naruto's speeding form towards the cleft. A crow cackled overhead, short, amused cawing.

He only hoped the poor boy would be in a coherent state of mind to hear him out when he reached him.

---

Naruto was huddled in the far corner of the cleft when Mori found him; shaking and clearly distressed. His eyes were wide and staring, yet the pupils had contracted to tiny little slits.

Not good.

"Naruto," Mori called pleadingly. "Please try to stay calm, I'll explain everything, but I need you to listen to me."

Both eyes shuddered and swiveled over to rest on Mori's advancing form. A strange stirring trickled through the air.

"Na-ru-to," Mori said warningly. "Stay calm."

A low growling rumble issued from the young man's mouth. Mori noticed, with slight alarm, that Naruto's lips had curled upwards revealing elongated incisors.

"Why should I stay calm?" He rasped out gratingly.

"How can I stay calm when there's a dead man standing right in front of me? How can I?! HUH! TELL ME THAT MORI! YOU'RE DEAD! IFELT YOU DIE!"

Naruto shook his head back and forth to dispel the invading presence in his mind but it would not abate.

The fox had come.

Naruto's hands cracked with the sudden popping of cartilage as it moved to make way for new claws. Crouching on the ground like a predator he growled menacingly and flexed his restless fingers against the dirt, gouging it. A voice came out that was not his own.

"**Those that are dead should sss-ssstay that way.**"A deep baritonic sound scratched its way out of Naruto's throat.

"**You're carrion for the crows-sss sss-sandman. Act like it!**"

Mori did not know when the young man's eyes had fled from blue to that flaming orange. What he did know, as two sets of finely sharpened claws drove for his torso, was that they no longer belonged to a sane individual. From the shock of seeing Mori alive and well Naruto had lost control of himself to a berserker rage.

Fortunatly Naruto never thought clearly when he was angry.

Mori sidestepped fluidly as a wisp of air and raised a deft hand to point at the boy's wrists.

He uttered one word as Naruto wheeled on the spot after missing and prepared to spring back towards his prey.

"S'blocchi."

Naruto was caught in mid jump when the force hit him like an anvil of pain. A voice on two octaves screamed out of his lungs. He was sent, forcibly, twitching, to the earth.

"GAARGH RAAGH! AAAAAH!"

The last note ended high and piercing; Mori winced. He watched in grim silence as the tortured shouts of his student pitched and rolled through the cleft deafeningly. Abruptly, Mori's hand shot out and gripped Naruto's scalp in a vice-like hold. Yanking the growling youth's head up sharply he stared straight into eyes that had turned back to a muddy blue, but no less wild and scattered.

"Listen, both of you," He said softly.

Naruto's growling lowered to a thrumming tempo.

"What you are feeling now is the third effect of the Anima Raccoglitori which I have until now neglected to say," Mori said.

"There is no exact name for the effect but you can feel what it does clearly enough. The code word activates an automatic sequence in the bindings which immediately lock down any and all spiritual power. In other words," Mori stated, "you, Naruto, cannot move. If you try to you will rip both your soul and the Kyuubi in half. Do I make myself clear?"

Naruto's teeth widened into a feral snarl.

"I'll take that as a yes. Now, if you please Mr.Kyuubi-san, let go of my student or I promise I will destroy you. Demon or no, you know well enough what the Raccoglitori can do to spiritual energy, even if the boy doesn't. I daresay that you would rather live, even if it is in a prison."

Naruto's teeth gnashed in a chopping rhythm.

"**How nice of you to remind me traitor! I'll chew on your bones-sss yet Moriya, til the last of your flesh is dust in my fangs!**"

Mori rolled his eyes.

"Certainly, certainly my lord foxtrot; until then however I would appreciate it if you would keep the past where it belongs and _let go of the boy's mind_. Enough damage has been caused today, by both our foolish wishes. Now relinquish your hold or I **will **force you to it."

The Kyuubi's presence snarled once more and then subsided, leaving a very confused, very troubled young man behind. Naruto vision crossed and blurredunsteadily. As he focused, with some difficulty, Naruto could make out the looming figure of a cloaked man.

"GHOST!" He yelled and tried to scrabble away to useless efforts.

Mori sighed and yanked Naurto's wide-eyed face up to his own severe one.

"Let me make it clear to you before there is another potential fiasco brewing in that flighty mind of yours." Mori said snappishly, clearly, unmistakably.

"I am very much alive, that sharp pain in your head is my hand holding it up. The technique I used to escape your jutsu's effects is called the atomic particle-field effect. It has to do with a lot of hard work and training with chakra that no, I will not explain right now, because you have shown that you are incapable **of even the simplest understanding WHEN I TOLD YOU TO CALM DOWN!"**

Naruto's eyes had widened to the size of large coins. No way on any planet was he capable of imagining Mori in all his wrath, it was just too scary to keep up. This was the real deal, no buts about it.

"Mori?…" He said hesitantly. "It's you?…"

"No, I'm the tooth fairy. Of course it's me you brainless boy! What did I tell you about your temper? What did I say? Do you remember? Of course you don't! Blockheaded dolt! I told you, and I told you. Do, not, get, upset. What do you do? You get upset. Over hormonal teenager, honestly at your age you would think that you might have some **restraint. **But no, you go flying off the handle at the simplest provocation. I thought we'd fixed that, but apparently **you **need a bit more work _boy_."

Of course Naruto paid no attention to any of this.

"It really is you," he said slowlyas it dawned on him; no other person could possibly manage to imitate that scathing tone as well as Mori managed it.

"Bastard! What were you doing all that time! I thought you'd gone, that you'd died old man. Don't scare me like that!" A sane Naruto yelled from his position on the ground.

Mori just shook it his head.

"It was necessary," Mori said.

Naruto wouldn't take that lying down, if he could have anyway, the dirt beneath him somehow prevented that.

"What the hell!" He shouted. "How is faking your own death necessary huh Mori?! Tell me that!" Naruto was seething, Mori simply didn't care.

"It was necessary," he said, "and it was not fake. I did in fact, die, in the physical sense; but fortunately for me, and you I might add, I am not so easily disposed of spiritually. If I had been, we never would have met, and I certainly could not be talking to you now if that were so. No, you will soon find, Mr. Uzumaki, that that which we hold dear as our own flesh and blood is simply a container for something far greater. Nothing more, nothing less than that."

Mori snuffed a little at a bit of sand that had gotten into his nose.

"It was necessary for my death to be real. I needed to gauge what you would do in the aftermath of our little battle. That, is the second part of the exam, the _true _part. The goal of the final test before the third phase is not only to defeat the teacher, but to destroy him."

Naruto's eyes had flung wider than ever before.

"That's freaking barbaric!" He spat. "It's just as twisted as the stupid Mist gennin exam. Damn you're sick…"

Mori held up a halting hand.

"Let me finish," he requested seriously. "You nearly failed the second half, Mr. Uzumaki, very nearly. The student _must_ have the will to kill, but it is only after that that the true test begins. What happens when you are directly faced with death hmm? A death you caused, someone who has taught you, trained with you, shown you a friendship. I was not testing the strength of your muscles Mr. Uzumaki. I was testing your **mind, **and as I said, you very nearly failed. A few seconds more and you would have flown apart at the seams, I believe."

Naruto had gone completely quiet.

So that was it…

Damn.

"That really is…twisted," he laughed wryly.

"True," Mori replied, "but effective. You, Mr. Uzumaki, have so many forces working against you: your temper (which we will correct), your past, and that thing inside of you. All of these forces must be somehow conquered for you to attain your full potential. Yesterday and today you showed that despite all of these hindrances you have managed with the skin of your teeth, that alone is good, but not enough. No boy, what really saved you was that will of yours. I don't know how you do it, but I am, contrary to appearances, quite impressed. I have lost many a promising student on this part of the training."

Naruto frowned.

"I thought you said you never let them die," he said accusingly.

Mori nodded.

"That is the truth, I never let a single one perish until they were out from under my care; though…death would probably have been a far kinder end. When I said I lost them…well it would be more proper to say that they lost themselves."

Naruto was a bit nerve-ended by this.

"Wha-what do you mean by that," he asked quaveringly.

"What happened to them?"

Mori was silent for a very long time.

"Death can be…a very great equalizer, as I'm sure you have heard at some time or another. It weeds out the weak and identifies the strong. Unfortunately it also creates as well as it destroys."

Mori looked to the sky with a distant manner, as if some far thing was calling.

"How many brave young men lost their minds at my hands I wonder? I can't quite remember them all some days; there are clouds in my memory these years, they obscure everything. I cannot see their faces, all my bright dawning students, gone. You were to be the last attempt you see; someone to pass on my knowledge to. You can imagine my disappointment when I found that I had nearly created another monster…-?-!"

Mori was unpleasantly surprised by a fist that connected forcibly with the side of his head. He stumbled and looked on in mild interest to find Naruto standing shakily, obviously fighting very hard against the suppression of the Raccoglitori's binding.

"You're - you're sick! They - they went insane you bastard and that's all you've got to say!? That you're **_disappointed?_** I don't care who you are, or how strong, or how important; **nobody** has the right to screw with another person's head like that! EVER!"

Naruto continued to rant without losing steam. (Which was quite an accomplishment considering that the equivalent weight of two metric tonnes was pulling on his skeletal frame.)

"You know I've seen what that does? I _know _the kind of monster that comes from that kind of experiment. They call me dangerous at home; they don't know that half of what they're trying to define! And you sure as hell don't seem to either!"

Naruto heaved and scathed. He couldn't stand this, this blatant lack of feeling, for anything remotely human, at all.

"You can't even consider them people after something like that. They don't look any less human than you or me sure, but there's nothing left on the inside! Don't you get it?!"

Naruto nearly sobbed.

"What's left ain't human! IT'S THE SAME AS BEING DEAD, you, you MORON! AAGH!"

The weight became to much for him the bear and Naruto fell heavily to the ground, trying hard not to cry.

"There's nothing left…" he kept whispering despairingly to the ground. "No, nothing…and they're all the same…freaking cold, eyes."

Mori looked on unpityingly.

"That is why you passed where others failed, boy."

He flicked an emotionless hand at the Raccoglitori and spoke.

"Serra-tura."

The cuffs fell away, for the first time in a month. Naruto felt as if a waterfall of chakra had just cascaded into his arms and legs. He had almost no choice in sitting straight up and staring in wonderment at his hands and limbs. He felt light, almost too light as to be incorporeal, made of air.

"You will wear the Raccoglitori only when we train with the sword or other physical means from now on. At all other times you will understand and know this: a true shinobi's heart has no room for pity, the love of life or any other selfish indulgences of that kind. You boy, are not one of these, and you never shall be. You have too much heart Mr. Uzumaki, I think; we made a mistake trying to curb that heart of yours; for all the grief it gives you it is, indeed, your greatest asset. You are right, that men can be men yet also less than human; that is why, I realize it now, it is important for you to remain as you are; because no one who is less than human can ever dream to defeat all the greater qualities of humanity. That is what you are Mr. Uzumaki, completely and hopelessly human. I haven't seen that for a very long time…"

'_Not in two hundred years.'_

"And what makes you think," Naruto scathed, "that I'll ever want to train with you again? Eh?!"

Mori simply shrugged, as always, with care-as-care-less attitude about him.

"Who else could train you? Answer me truthfully now; in the most logical sense, is it not more practical to train under someone who _cannot _expire completely than, say, your sensei, Kakashi? Or that wandering pervert Jiraiya; I hear you nearly did the old hentai in _unconsciously_. Tell me, do you place such low value on their lives? Or is it that you feel willing to sacrifice yourself in a moment of high distress. I have seen that mark on your arm Mr. Uzumaki. I know what it does and who has the other half. Perhaps you feel this is enough to save those you care about when you lose your control over the demon inside of you. Is that it? Because, Mr. Uzumaki, I think truly, deep inside yourself, at the bottom of your darkest nightmares, you know it will never be enough."

Naruto had a very amusing thought running through his head at the moment this was all being said. It went something like this.

_'Does he stay up at night rehearsing this bullshit?'_

Truth be told Mori was the best bull-shitter for a hundred miles around. Though Kakashi may have given him a run for his money. Unfortunately though, it was no steaming pile of dung ready to be chucked to the farthest recesses of the mind, and forgotten. This was serious.

Well…

As serious as one can be with Naruto.

"Fine! Old man. Just fine! Train me, whatever, I don't care! Just don't drag my friends into this or I swear on their blood, I don't care how long it takes, I'll find a way to send you to hell with my boot shoved up your ass!"

"Fair game," Mori replied tactically, "and starting tomorrow we're leaving Suna. You are going to go to the Kazekage, retrieve that death-mark scroll and pack up your things in the cleft."

"Wha!…"

"You follow me, you follow my directions, you follow my rules: we move tomorrow. The seasons are changing. Only a man with a death wish would stay out on the plains when Suna has its rainy term. The nights get so cold that you'd wake up covered in ice, probably catch pneumonia if your lungs had not already stopped functioning, and then what would you do? We're going to the Forest of Death, which I think might please you since it is so close to your home village."

Naruto's face had lit up with a very odd expression, it was halfway between elated joy, suspicious scowling, and a flicker of something un-nameable. All in all it ended up looking like he had a case of persistent constipation.

Very unpleasant.

"Whatever," he muttered grouchily, although secretly pleased that he _would _be close to Konoha, and a little sad too. There were a lot of memories in that place, sometimes, too many.

Mori nodded curtly and beckoned to Naruto, a come-hither-and-follow gesture.

Naruto begrudgingly got up off the ground and trudged after the enshrouded figure of the man with no future, no present, no past save one: _Moriya_.

Moriya, Moriya.

The word kept swimming around in Naruto's head as he began to pack up his belongings in the cleft. It would be a sad thing to leave all this. He felt a connection with the rock, as silly as it sounded. It was another home, one that he had made with his own two hands and something to be proud of. He lifted his pack and began to chuck things into it.

Moriya, Moriya.

It was all he could remember from the point that the Kyuubi took over his mind till the point that he was released. A word, a deep word that he knew with every inch of his soul that the demon hated.

But wait!

Naruto stalled in the middle of packing and turned around to stare unbelievingly at Mori who was leaning casually against the cleft outer wall.

That was no word.

_'That's your name isn't it? Moriya, Mori; your real name.'_

Naruto went back to packing to abate suspicion but his thoughts consumed him otherwise. Why would Mori hide his name? And, more importantly, why did the Kyuubi hate him so much? One thing was for sure, as Naruto hoisted up his pack and began walking along the shelves and dumping things into it, he was going to find out why.

Curiosity killed the cat, but who ever said anything about a fox?

---

Later after all the packing had been done and the journey was made towards Suna Naruto stilled, halted in his tracks and turned to salute the plateau with a raised hand. There home was, there it would stay, until he returned.

His own way, made and maintained, of the shinobi.

---

**Author's end note: Honorable mention to those who have been so patient with me and this last update before I leave. I will be back and the story will continue in January. I beg your forgiveness, I've been very sick recently and my internet license was revoked (parental intervention "If your sick you don't write!" Bleh!). I wish you all a very happy holiday and the brightest Christmas that the season can afford you, God willing, God loving, God bless all.**


	14. Author's Note

Hello and goodbye it seems. What a rollercoaster ride, whew! After a long time and many weeks of writer's block, stumble, and flow I finally bid adieu to you all before my excursion into the Carribean takes place. For those of you who know, MERRY CHRISTMAS! For those of you who don't Small Gods will be on temporary hiatus from today December 23 until January 12th. Though it will be time for exams at school as soon as I get back, I will do my best to update as often as I can.

I would sincerely like to thank all those who have steadily reviewed my story. It seems like such a long time yet I know it has only been about a month or so since I started this project. I had no idea how deeply this was going to get into my life. I feel like I'm walking every step that Naruto does. Wouldn't that make your feet sore?

In any case, since I began this journey I have begun to realise that the tale is quickly reaching the epic stage, where it grows out of my hands. At this point in time even I have very little idea of what will happen to Naruto, which is both exciting and annoying.

I will miss you all immensely and come the new year I will have plenty of surprises for you, a kind of belated Christmas gift. I hope you all enjoy it, and the latest chapter. Merry Christmas all, and the happiest of New Years.

God Bless,

-A. L. Anderson.

P. S. I am on the lookout for a proofreader. I canot spot all my mistakes and I would like it very much if there is a grammar expert in the crowd if they would be willing to lend a hand in correcting any errors. Thank you.


	15. Foreshadowed Path

**Author's Note: **Hello ladies and gents! I'm back from vacation and exams are over. Huzzah! This will be ashort chapter as far as length goes, but more revealing in plot. I am adding an important clue here as to the direction the story is aking in here. See if you can guess what it it hmm?

---

The road was far more different than Naruto remembered. The way was the same, the trees were as sturdy as ever, but that atmosphere was heavy with a tense gray feeling. There were no birds singing. Mori walked nearby, feet crunching softly on the gravely path. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Naruto felt uneasy. Something ominous was slewing just under the surface of the day and it was playing tennis with his nervous system.

"Yo Mori," he intoned tensely as he sidled up next to the enigmatic hermit.

"Hmm?"

"Can you feel something…odd?"

Mori continued to walk in a paragon of silence, which irritated Naruto.

"Come on man, I get better conversation from rocks. D'you feel somethin…"

"Shh.."

Mori whipped an arm out to halt his young companion in his tracks.

"What the!" Naruto stumbled into the blockading arm in profuse confusion.

"What're you..Oh…"

Naruto looked ahead at the roadway. Everything appeared as if looked at through old glass, wavy and distorted. An irking screech hummed on the air just below the range of hearing.

"Genjutsu?" Naruto whispered hesitantly.

Mori shook his head.

"No, too obvious,"

"What is it then?" Naruto reached forwards to touch the strange wall and…

"_Are you that incompetent, boy?"_ Mori snatched Naruto by the back of the head and pulled him sharply back.

"Gyah!" Naruto shouted in pain.

"Jeez you didn't have to be so mean about it," he said crossly as he rubbed the back of his sore scalp. Mori sighed.

"Contrary to the popular tale, curiosity kills not only the cat but any fool who knowingly sticks his hand into a bear trap. Do you understand me thus far Mr. Uzumaki?"

Naruto put a musing hand to his chin.

"Sooo, that thing is a?…"

Mori turned back to the distortion.

"No! Not a bear trap you dolt! Oh bother, never mind, take a look here."

Mori knelt and pointed at a particularly wavery section of the anomaly. Naruto looked.

"Yeah, so?"

Mori's head dropped in vain, grim acceptance that Naruto had absolutely no gift for spotting the obvious at all.

"This," Mori said exasperatedly, "is a spatial disturbance, in other words reality is bent here like a boomerang."

"A booma-what?" Asked Naruto.

"A highly complicated throwing weapon used particularly on people with small minds," Mori deadpanned. Naruto blinked. The hermit threw up his hands in disgust with the moment.

"Imagine that a ramen noodle has been bent into a curved shape, also imagine that the noodle represents reality, do you understand now?"

Light bulbs flicked on in Naruto's slowly expanding mind.

"Oh! So you mean that there's something wrong with this part of the world?"

Mori cursed under his breath.

"Yes, that is the basic gist of it."

Naruto tilted his head to one side, surveying the distortion with interest.

"Well jeez Mori, even I could have told ya that! Just look at it, I mean, that ain't normal behavior for air."

There was no dealing with the boy, Mori decided. Simple terms for simple minds.

"Alright then," the resigned desert hermit began. "The question that we should be asking is 'why is this here' and 'how do we get rid of it?'.

Naruto's brow furrowed in contemplation.

"I dunno, throw rocks at it?" He said, joking slightly; which was probably the reason he was surprised when Mori agreed with him.

"Excellent idea boy, any good sized boulders laying about that we could use?"

It just so happened there was, a nice sized rock that Naruto hauled up from the ground, and then stopped for instruction. Mori looked at him, dead-eyed.

"Well, are you just going to stand there like a statue boy, or throw the stone in?"

"Oh, right."

Naruto drew back the boulder and then heaved it with a huff of deflating breath into the shimmering vortex. It disappeared.

"Wha?!"

Naruto stared at the place where the rock vanished, dumb-faced.

"It's gone!" He exclaimed.

"Naturally," said Mori leaning against a hollow-wood tree on the side of the road.

"It will take a while for the anomaly to go through its processes. In the meantime we will discuss 'why it is here'." He motioned for his student to join him as he sat off the side of the road on a patch of particularly fine gravel. Naruto jumped over and sat down with a heavy **thump**. Mori smoothed the dirt and grabbed a stick.

"Obviously this is not a normal occurrence, so we can rule out natural cause. Only the clashing of spiritual forces has been known to create such anomalies. So, what do you think the distortion is caused by, Mr. Uzumaki?"

Naruto looked and saw that Mori had drawn the equivalent of two energies smashing together. He looked at it hard and was puzzled for a bit.

Clashing forces? Crash, smash. Umm. Clashing meant fighting, so…

"Kinda like two ninja's fighting it out?" He said, hopefully.

Mori, had his face been visible, would have smiled.

"Exactly!" He said.

"When two opposing forces of chakra meet they create an area of disturbance in the natural flow of space and time, and, if the two forces are strong enough, their actions may create a tear like this one. Can you guess why?"

Now this was beyond Naruto completely. He sat back, folded his arms stubbornly and grimaced.

How? How? How should he know?

Mori sighed.

"It is because," he said as Naruto looked up in interest, "The use of chakra _is_ unnatural. It is a perversion of the spirit's energies. Chakra, as we call it, is the direct representation of a person's Soul, and indeed, of all living things. The power of one's Soul depends directly on the stresses it endures and adapts to in order to survive. Man however, cunning as he is greedy, found a way to tap into that power and use it, continuously bending the nature of his own spirit to fit his needs. That is why time and space are so twisted up here. That is why it is dangerous to use up more than your allotment of chakra. For if you do, Mr. Uzumaki, you are drawing on death itself."

Naruto felt like his eyes were falling out of his skull.

"You mean to tell me," he said slowly, "that I'm using my own soul as a weapon?"

Mori nodded.

"Yes indeed, as have generations of shinobi after the art of chakra molding was passed on to this continent by an exiled priest over eight centuries ago which I will discuss with you later. Our rock is just about to arrive."

Naruto spun on his haunches and flung himself flat just in time after spotting the spray of rocks that came whizzing out of the vortex.

"And there it goes!" Mori guffawed, a deep belly laugh.

Naruto growled.

"I'm glad you're happy (crazy old hermit), 'cause I nearly got my head taken off!"

Mori wiped a stray tear from his strained eyes as he continued to laugh.

"You should have seen your face boy! I never thought someone could do such an excellent imitation of a puffer-fish!"

Naruto scowled.

"Yeah, yeah. Funny, I remember the boulder being in one piece though."

He leaned over to pick up a stone shard.

"It looks like it went through a blender now."

Mori pushed himself up off the ground.

"That is precisely what happened to it. It went through a spiritual garburator of sorts. If you had stuck your hand in there it would have returned looking like a gutted pig turned inside out."

Naruto shivered, and was glad that Mori had stopped him.

_'Yee! That's scary.'_

"Yet notice that there is no damage to this area at all despite the presence of such a violent anomaly."

Naruto looked around and saw that it was true.

"Yeah, that is strange." He agreed.

"That can only mean," said Mori, "that the disturbance was caused by a very large amount of chakra. So much so that it is affecting areas far from the source of conflict. There are only two cases where this is possible. A pair of shinobi with an insane amount of spiritual power are engaged in combat, or, my least favorite scenario, there is a war in progress. We had best move quickly from here on in. It is no longer safe to stop, for anything."

Naruto's face set into a grim mask.

"We're not going to help are we?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"No," Mori replied. "You cannot afford to be sidetracked in your training, even for the briefest of skirmishes." Mori briskly set off walking down the path, past the dissipating vortex.

"Even if Konoha?.."

"I said **no**!"

Mori rounded on his student.

"There are times for all things boy, and _this is not your time_." He said with a tone of finality that brooked no argument.

"Learn some patience! Powerful you may be, but your control and mind are both untrained. Brute force may have gotten you this far but after today, after what you have seen that thoughtless exploitation can cause, can you rush on knowing that your violence will only tear this world apart? Unthinking whelp!"

Mori turned sharply and strode away, leaving an angry young man in his wake.

"I may not be as smart as you!" He shouted after the retreating back of the hermit.

Mori stopped.

"Or as cool!" Naruto raged.

"But I _am_," he stomped forwards, "not the kind of trash that leaves comrades to fight alone, no matter _what_!"

"_Do you hear me?"_

Naruto reached out to grab Mori's shoulder.

"_Coward! _Gah!"

Mori caught the descending hand in a firm grip.

"Even," he said quietly, "if the best help that you could possibly give is to stay out of their way?"

Naruto's face fell.

"Yeah," he said. "Even then."

Mori dropped the hand.

"Good, now we move on."

The man moved forwards again, with Naruto trailing and confused and disgruntled silence behind him.

"Bastard…" Naruto grumbled.

"Whelp." Mori retorted.

The gray skeletal trees speared the gray bruised sky.

Naruto smiled.

---


	16. Detour

**Author's Note: Ladies and gentlemen, brains and sportsfans, the time has come. **

**I'm back, as it were. I'm sorry I was away for so long. its been one thing after another but I finally got my act together and managed to write this much. Thanks to some encouragement from a very devoted fan I feel a little better. I've been a bit depressed for no other reason than I just was for the longest time now. I still am but you've all been so patient with me, I think you deserve to see how this all plays out. You'll be happy to know though that I wasn't idle for the last month. I've been composing the rough draft for the next part of the story, which I gurantee, is nothing like you have ever seen before. **

**Cheerio dears! Read, review, and above all, enjoy:)**

_Ps: This chapter is dedicated to t-dugong, for reasons they know best, and to everyone who takes the time to read. Now and forever._

---

In the next two days of travel Naruto and Mori ran into several more disturbances before they cleared the bulk of the grayish trees, which were also odd. Even accounting for the advancing bitterness of the winter cold the trees should not have been bare. There wasn't a leaf to speak of, let alone any wild-life. Naruto discussed this at length with Mori. It disturbed him a great deal, for the closer they got to Konoha the worse the lifelessness got. They walked on in a cloud of irritation for a while after that. Neither of them could see a reason for the apparent devastation. With even Mori mystified, Naruto was at a loss for any answers. If the nosey old bastard didn't know what was going on than it was unlikely that anyone else would. Not that anyone else was around to ask, but _still_!…

Naruto fell to his knees as the trail opened into a clearing.

A clearing that was clear of anything and everything.

Mori stopped beside his pupil and whistled long and low.

"Now I understand how those anomalies were generated. No normal amount of chakra could create something that size."

Naruto's breathing had become labored and erratic while he looked at it.

A chasm stretched for leagues across and gods knew how deep. It appeared to be a good distance across. Mori estimated that a small city could fit very comfortably inside and still have room to grow. On the other side of the gaping wound in the earth the trees had been blasted into cinder sticks. All the destruction clearly pointed in the direction of the one place they had been trying to get to. Mori looked at Naruto out of the corner of his eyes as the unstable youth tried, failingly, to speak.

"Who-- who would, could do this?…" He whispered painfully. Mori almost winced, unused to hearing the tones of defeat fall from his student's mouth. Mori began to reply but stopped short, Naruto was not looking at the chasm. His eyes were fixed on a more distant point.

Mori followed the youth's gaze to the source of his wide-eyed dismay. Mori narrowed his own in distaste and suspicion.

"No one that should rightly have that kind of fire power I can assure you."

A grinding rumble filled the air and puzzled Mori for a moment, until he realized it was right beside him, coming from Naruto. The poor boy's chakra was flicking out and humming dangerously. Naruto curled over and clutched at his head trying to stay calm despite his obvious distress and frustration.

In the distance the Hokage Mountains were visible, just barely. They were webbed with serious cracks and various damages, the face of the Yondaime was completely destroyed and over the whole of Konoha was a poisonous looking barrier that flickered in a sickly purple-black swirl.

Naruto slammed the ground with all his might and yelled ferociously.

"AARGH!"

He should have been there, should have been with _Konoha_, with Sakura, with Kakashi and everyone. If he hadn't been away this wouldn't have happened!

"I should have been there! I'm going, I gotta help. I have to!"

Naruto backed up as far as he could, gathered a necessary amount of chakra, raced for the chasm and!…Got the wind nicked out of his lungs as if it were stolen. Mori had caught him up under the ribs with a well placed fist.

"Have some sense boy!" He said harshly, though not unkindly.

"Any enemy forces are likely to still be scouting the area around the village for reinforcements or hidden factions. Charging in there like a raging bull is certainly valiant but very stupid. You would be dead before you got two feet inside that shield, no matter how strong you have become." Mori said to the shaking, gasping heap of rags and bandages that was Naruto.

Mori kneeled down and placed a comforting hand on the Blonde's shivering head. Naruto was in shock.

"I know it is hard, but try and understand that in a battle of strategy you would lose, and lose badly. I have drilled you in it yes but you are no master, boy, not by a long shot. Think as clearly as you can before going in to a situation; who are your enemies? The Akatsuki would certainly want you to rush in, an easy capture for them, and they _know_ that you would, which is another reason why you are not as ready as you should be. To face these kinds of enemies you must know them better than your own friends. Do you see, Mr. Uzumaki? Without proper meditation on the facts at hand you are more blind than a blind man, a crippled shinobi, a hindrance and a danger to your comrades."

Naruto still shook, but blinked slowly. He understood all that.

"I know," he said quietly. "But I can't just stand here and do _nothing_! I can't!"

Naruto was smart enough when he took the time to be, and far more observant than anyone would ever think when first meeting him. But that was easily glossed over by the wealth of emotion that ran rampant through his life. Naruto had always been more passion than perspiration and it acted as a natural mask for his deeper nature that was the part that actually thought things through; unfortunately it was also the part that got hurt the most.

Mori watched his student's shaking with a calculated eye. Whatever grief was there, it would have to go - fast. Naruto, good intentioned though he might be, was a volatile agent of chaos so far as balanced reactions went. The young man had no way of gauging proper societal behavior, in himself or otherwise. (Which Mori suspected was strongly due to a lack of society behaving properly _towards _the poor boy for most of his life.) What Naruto needed right now was something that Mori could not readily give him, unless…

"There is nothing you can do here right now," Mori placed a steady hand on the youth's trembling shoulder.

"Come, there is a town near here, in the North West. It is not very large but we can settle there and rest until we have _all _the facts about what happened to Konoha and can plan a rebound."

Naruto paused for a moment and then nodded his assent. There would be no point in waiting at the chasm like a sitting duck. He let Mori lead him away from the cliff edge. Fresh and dreadful wounds opened in Naruto's heart as he sent a last gaze over his shoulder to a home he knew better than any other, but felt so far away from, even in his mind.

_"I will come back…"_ he spoke inwardly. _"I'll come back and I'll set things right back the way they were. I'll become Hokage someday and this will never happen again,_

_I promise."_

---

"_This _is a small town Mori?" Naruto stood on the hill that overlooked the seaport settlement of Lockehaine: a place that had been colonized in the early centuries by Italiana and Celtan sailors from the Western continent, which accounted for the odd naming of the place. Apparently, according to Mori, Lockehaine was titled for some ancient Celtan warrior who fought off an entire fleet of raiders single handedly. Personally Naruto hadn't put any stock of faith in the story at first, but after all he had seen and been through… he supposed that the insane reality of really mega-strong super-men, even in the past, might not be so far fetched (considering himself anyhow).

Lockehaine was not a small town. It was huge.

"Well, all things considered it is probably the best spot to hide out in for now."

Naruto cast a skeptical eye at his often-times odd mentor. You've got to be kidding me, the look said.

"I am quite serious," Mori offered. "No one here knows who you are, directly at least, so it is just a matter of hiding a tree in a forest. To be exact," he added hastily, catching the beginnings of Naruto's confusion. "If you make the effort to blend in here, it would take months, maybe years for anyone who might be hunting you to get a good lock on your movements."

The light-bulb went on. Naruto's face flickered with relieved understanding. Sometimes, listening to Mori was painful to his sanity, it gave him a headache. Thankfully the strange hermit was beginning to get the point that the psychotic techno- babble he spewed, easy as a leaky fountain, was less than appreciated on his student's part.

"Okay, I get that," Naruto bantered. "But how exactly am I going to 'blend in' here?"

Mori put a musing hand to his chin.

"First, we get you new clothes, rags do nothing for credibility. Then, you join the illegal element I should think," he said.

"Wha?" Naruto returned, at a loss to comprehend just yet.

Mori pointed at the baffled youth.

"You," he said quite plainly, "are going to become a thief."

"What?!" Naruto staggered back at the import of the words. "I'm no criminal!" He complained loudly. "Nunh unh, no way, not doing it!" he said, waving and crossing his arms in the air before him creating a vigorous 'no' gesture.

Mori simply sighed.

"What better way for you to learn how the enemy thinks?" he explained. "In order to understand a thief, you become a thief. To understand those who kill, you must kill in turn. It is a cruel way to learn but it is an effective one. You need to learn craft and subtlety, to fight with dishonor and win every time without exception. You have spent too many years under the thumb of shinobi conduct and rules to know how the average world operates and those that live within it. The world is not fair, so do not be fair to it, take hold of it and all its possibilities. They are yours to command if you will it so."

Mori's tone took on an odd fluidity that was raw and stapled to passion.

"It is time," he said, "for you to begin living."

That said, Mori lunged and faster than Naruto could react, snapped the ankle Raccoglitori bracelets to the young man's feet.

"Hey!" Naruto protested hotly. "What gives!?"

Mori drew himself to his full and imposing height and spoke, twisting his hands sharply as he did.

"S'blocchi di meno." he said faintly.

Naruto felt the familiar weight of too many pounds pulling on his legs and then gasped at the sudden and dramatic cut in his chakra from leaping bounds to almost nothing at all.

"Hell Mori," he said weakly, exhausted from the change. "Why'd you do that?"

Mori pulled forth the wrist cuffs and showed them to Naruto before he gently clapped those on him as well, speaking the same words. Naruto felt his remaining chakra stretch thin and sheet-like within his body while the weight on his arms held them down. Too tired to do anything about it, he just asked again.

"Why?"

Mori looked up.

"You probably have not noticed, but you move far too lightly for a normal human being now, as a result of these," Mori pointed to the Raccoglitori. "If you went in there without them people would immediately notice that something was out of order. Men do not walk as if on air. Everything about a shinobi speaks of their training. From the way you hold yourself to the way you speak, all that you do works against you in this place. In effect, I would much rather you walked like a barbarian than a sophisticate at present, if it means you keep out from under the enemy's sights."

Naruto nodded dumbly, feeling sleep steal over his senses slowly and insidiously.

"Naruto!" Mori sniped. "Listen, this is important! Can you henge in this state?"

"Wha? Oh, sure."

Naruto dreamily raised his hands and preformed the henge seals, muttering the incantation. A puff of smoke went up and before Mori stood an identical copy of the copy-ninja himself, Kakashi. Albeit the copy swayed and staggered like a drunken man, but Naruto had managed to pull off a decent henge, even in his current condition.

"Good, good," Mori approved. "Do you think you could hold something like that for twelve hours or more at a time?"

Naruto plopped down into the dirt and gazed dully up at the tall man.

"Sure," he slurred. "S'long as zaires nothin' else I haf t'do with shakra I'll bee finnne."

Naruto's head drooped and he slumped over into a heap, banishing the Kakashi-like persona with another cloud of nin-smoke.

Mori went to fetch a blanket for his ward but was stopped by a last, half-hearted utterance from Naruto's fallen form.

"Y'know," he yawned from his prone position on the ground. "Thaz ther firs' time you e'er called me b'my name Mo."

Mori chuckled in the fading light and turned to the town that was beginning to fire up its street lamps.

"Yes," he said amusedly. "I suppose it is."


	17. Alta Vista

**Author's Note: Herlos mon fine kiddies. Miss me? Alright then, here's the scoop: a great many of you may be confused by the following chapter. My advice? Don't be. Everything will be explained in time, you just have to be patient. In hindsight, I would like your opinions on the new characters you're about to meet. Any likes? Dislikes? **

**Personally I like my giants. **

**Have fun!**

**P. s. Naruto is in this chapter. You just don't know who he is yet.**

**Warning!: Those with low tolerance for OC's or have little patience with twisty plotlines may want to skip the next few chapters or so. If you feel up to the task then read through. **

---

Fog had crawled in off the coastline into the streets of Lockehaine, blanketing everything in a cloud so thick that it could be cut with a knife. The world was white and impenetrable by the normal human eye.

The man standing at the railed balcony of the Alta Vista club was not normal by any stretch of imagination.

He stood with a careful grace, still and violent with calculation all at once. The frigid spring wind whipped at his navy jacket and short obsidian hair. Cerulean eyes narrowed against the offending breeze. There would be a storm.

"Bern," he said flatly. "We need a double guard tonight."

The man, Cain, turned in loose tan breeches stuffed into knee-high black boots that clicked with an odd metal ringing. He faced another person behind him, a giant of sorts, broad limbed and brown skinned, comfortable in a myriad of earthy linen greens. He grinned ruefully.

"Yer expectin' trouble ah take it." Bern said in a low rumble.

"Not expecting," Cain said, " preventing: I can guarantee that Mistress Bianca and her Ladies won't take kindly to that little debacle at the Festival of Lights last week." Cain turned back to his surveyance of the city with a grim mutter.

"This is the perfect time to stage a take-over, when there's little visibility and most factions are running blind. Our allies wouldn't be able to respond if we called them out."

Cain stood, pale as ever, peering into the murk below. Bern watched him humbly. Cain was a hard man to abide by in the best of times, dark and scowling that he were. But he was a good leader, among other things, and a brilliant strategist as well. Bern loyally followed him, as well the rest of the Vista's crew.

"Who d'you want fo'ther task Master Cain?" he asked.

Cain thought for a moment.

"The twins," he said calmly, "and those two newcomers."

Bern was startled for a moment. Rookies? On guard duty? On this night of all nights, Bern felt a flicker of doubt, but he didn't question the order. He trusted his leader. Cain always had a good reason for things, no matter how absurd they seemed at first.

"Awrigh'," Bern assented. "Ah'll see if ah canna' rustle 'em afore dark."

Cain didn't respond, he knew his direction would be obeyed. Bern left through the balcony doorway into a red-wood corridor and set out to find his charges among the mazelike passages of the Alta Vista.

The Vista, by day, was a booming city club frequented by the more well-to-do middle classes of Lockehaine. It was a colorful affair built into the cliff-side that overlooked the city. That existence however, was just a cover for the Vista's darker nature: by night, the back doors opened into the cliff, into world of piracy and intrigue. The Vista was one of the three dominant thief guilds that Lockehaine harbored within its seaside limits.

In a continent rife with ninja espionage, Lockehaine was one of the last bastions of skilled thievery that existed. It was a rare epicenter of races, cultures and professions.

Bern loved it.

He walked, or stooped rather, into a room decorated as a café to find the twins, Hoshi and Yoshi turning the place down for the evening. Hoshi looked up at his entrance.

"Hi Bern!" she greeted cheerfully. "Just cleaning up!"

Yoshi stopped in the middle of wiping the counter as he heard his sister's exclamation.

"Oh, hello Bern." he said, also looking up. "Didn't hear you come in."

"Thar's a switch!" rumbled the giant, for Bern was a good seven feet tall. "Usually thar's complainin' that ah cause them earthquakes when ah step but an inch! So then, cust'mers all gone fo'ther evening'?"

"Yeah," Hoshi piped up, "the last one left an hour ago, just the one guy. Ate like a pig though!" She threw Yoshi a commiserating smile which he returned.

They were near mirror images of each other, both with greenish eyes and short sandy hair. The only difference were their genders and the fact that Hoshi had a blazing personality while Yoshi was much more reserved.

Cain had taken the twins in at an early age seven years ago. They were just a couple of street waifs back then, scrapping and stealing the odd coin whenever they could to survive. Bern still remembered the lecture Cain had dished out on the pair when he caught them trying to yank a purse away from an elderly lady.

Cain had cuffed the misfits on the ears and dragged them, fighting like bony hellions, back to the Vista.

"If you're going to steal," he'd shouted, "steal from those who can afford to lose what you take! I'll show you how and give you room here, but if you ever do again what you tried to do today then I'll have no choice but to banish you from the premises, is that clear?"

The twins had served him ever since.

"Cain is wantin' you two on guard duty t'night." said Bern. "It'll be a double shift betwixt you an' ther regulars…an' them new recruits."

The twins faces lit up with identically surprised interest.

"The Rookies?" queried Hoshi. "Cain wants _them_?"

"Yar." Bern nodded gravely. "Ah weren't in ther mind ter ask ther Master, bein' him a'concerned as'e is now, but'e wanted em special fo'ther job."

"That's strange." mumbled Yoshi. "I wonder why."

"Ah couldna say meself." said Bern with a shrug. "But tis what'e wants so we're best t'give it."

"Right!" chirruped Hoshi. "I get dibs on the blondie then!"

Yoshi stared at his sister, perplexed.

"Hiraku?" he said, puzzled. "He's so quiet though, and you love to talk."

"But he's cute too!" Hoshi winked at her brother.

Yoshi rolled his eyes and shared a look of exasperation with Bern, as men often do when women act out. Bern chuckled.

"Yer out t'catch his fancy then eh miss mischief?" he said to Hoshi.

"You bet!" she burbled, and then flounced out of the room in a flurry of energy.

"Poor lad don't stand an even chance do'e?" Bern said laughingly as he stared after the girl's hasty departure.

"Nope," Yoshi shook his head in silent apology, "not a chance."

---

"All right you green horns!" Hoshi shouted as she strode into the backroom barracks. "Vacation's over, time to work!"

A chorus of drowsy groans issued up from the rows of bunks that lined the huge barn-like space.

"Aw come on Hoshi." one man protested. "Let us rest."

"Yeah," another complained, "tell Cain we died in our sleep."

"Nothing doing you slackers!" Hoshi yelled back. "We've got a situation on our hands tonight and we need all the help we can get. Yes even you Brody," she said to one particularly disheveled young man who was known to be the trouble maker of the lot. He grinned and flopped back down into his mattress. Hoshi just smiled pleasantly and then dragged him out by his ankles and onto the floor with a heavy thud.

"Ow!" he exclaimed in mock pain from his position on the ground. "You've wounded me oh goddess of waking!"

Brody leapt to his feet and made a sweeping bow.

"But of course thine immaculate beauty dispels all hurts and blemished pride, fair maiden!" He bent forward to kiss Hoshi's hand, which she quickly held out of reach and thwacked him on the head with.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she snickered along with the rest of the room. "Heard the line, know the story. You're not sweet talking your way out of this one bean brain."

Brody put on his best imitation of a kicked puppy. Hoshi didn't buy it.

"Oh no, I'm not falling for that. Out you get, out! Move those chicken legs!"

Brody was exceptionally skinny and easy to frog march out of the room by an amused Hoshi to the sound of his peer's jeering and catcalls.

"I think she's on to you mate!" taunted a youth from a top bunk, to which Brody promptly stuck his tongue out at as he passed, hopping along. Hoshi finally pushed the trying young man out the door and shut it on him, telling him loudly through the barrier that he had better get a move on or Cain would skin him alive.

"All right," Hoshi said as she shifted and leaned on the door to face the rest of the now curious room "You're probably all wondering what the fuss is about." She looked over the myriad faces that were tuned into her voice.

"Cain wants me on double guard duty tonight which can only mean one thing," she waited for the words to register.

"Some of you who are new here won't know the implications, but in short it means that we're in for one hell of a skirmish with the Maison Blanche. As most of you old timer's will remember, our dear Master Cain pulled off a neat piece of work in last week's Festival."

"I remember that!" came the muffled quip from behind the door. Hoshi elbowed it.

"Shut up Brody." she growled and a smattering of snickers went around the room again.

"Anyhow," she continued, "the Maison didn't take too kindly to our efforts and they're out for blood, so I want you all to be on your toes tonight."

"Do we get ballet slippers?" Brody intoned from his side of the door. Hoshi refused to dignify it with a response and slapped a hand to her forehead.

The rest of the thieves den just laughed again and went to prepare themselves for the night ahead. Hoshi picked out two in particular that she needed to speak with.

"Hey you!" she shouted over the rustling din, pointing at the pair. "Rookies, over here, you've got orders."

Two young men, a redhead and a blond got up to follow her call and stopped in front of her.

"Now you're Hiraku right?" she said, pointing to the tall blond. He smiled, pleased that she had remembered his name.

"Yeah…" he said uncertainly. "I've never done anything like this so I'm not sure how much use I'll be."

Hoshi smiled benevolently.

"That's alright," she said, "you'll learn. You've got guard duty with me tonight. You'll learn the ropes in no time! Now…" she shifted her attention to the second adolescent. "I didn't catch your name before."

He was rather short but had the look of a hardened fighter, favoring a pair of brass knuckles over the usual set of daggers.

Better watch this one, Hoshi decided in her mind. He had a full head of ashy red hair that straggled into his dancing eyes, that were an unusual shade of bright sky blue. In fact his eyes were the oddest thing about him. Compared with a ruddy complexion and muted clothing of brown leathers his eyes popped forward in an eerie manner, piercing and complex.

_"Just like Cain…" _Hoshi thought wistfully.

A moment passed.

"Arashi."

"Hmm? What? Oh!" Hoshi tripped over her words, startled out of her daydream.

"Arashi." repeated the youth. "My name."

"Um.. Yes, oh, well, thank you, Arashi," Hoshi continued to stumble around her speech. "You have duty with my brother at the back gate."

Another moment passed.

"Where?"

"Oh, um, take two lefts outside of this room, then a right and keep going straight after that, you can't miss it."

The redhead bowed and then left the barracks. Hoshi heaved a visible sigh of relief as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

Hiraku snorted, alerting Hoshi to his presence once more.

"He always like that?" she asked him.

"Yep," he replied, "always."

"Whew!" Hoshi blurted. "What a personality! I'm glad Yoshi's getting him."

Hiraku shrugged.

"He's not so bad once you get to know him."

"How so?" Hoshi said as she led her partner for the evening out of the barracks room.

"Well…" Hiraku stalled. "He keeps pets."

"Oh?" Hoshi raised a skeptical brow. "Do tell!"

They walked up the hallways towards the front entrance while Hiraku spoke, slowly, as he felt himself relaxing.

"A falcon sometimes," he said. "Most often a squirrel though."

"_What?!"_ Hoshi giggled incredulously. "A squirrel?"

"Yeah!" Hiraku grinned in return. "I almost couldn't believe it myself until I saw it."

He felt a tenseness leave his shoulders as he continued to talk at ease with this girl, Hoshi. Perhaps, just maybe, he wouldn't be alone in this place after all.

---

Arashi took the directions Hoshi gave him, leisurely, to give himself time to think. It wasn't odd that he and the other new guy were singled out, that kind of thing always happened in an organization like this one.. What was odd was that it was done on such an important night, if Hoshi was to be trusted by any means. He continued to think and…came face to face with the Master himself.

Cain was walking up the hall towards Arashi, deeply buried in thought. He stared up as he approached and nodded to the recruit when he passed, looking Arashi in the eye as if reading him.

So that's the game, Arashi mused to himself, returning the look measure for measure in comprehension, and walked on. There was something he understood in Cain, a kind of common recognition of those who knew what it was like to keep a deep secret. It was perhaps because of that the leader of the Vista had scouted him out at the Festival of Lights during the raid on the Maison Blanche. Few people knew what it was that Cain actually took from Mistress Bianca that made her more furious than anyone could remember in a decade, but Arashi saw it. He snuck after the master thief hoping to snatch the prize although not knowing who it was that he chased.

Hiraku, who had been with Arashi at the time, unwittingly followed after him, just in curiosity.

Curiosity killed the cat.

Cain, somehow, circled around the pair after being alerted by Hiraku's less than stealthy stumbling. He came up behind the pair and pressed a cursory dagger to each of their throats in perfect silence.

He offered them a deal.

They kept silent about the item in his possession and serve under him, or they could bleed out in the ally after he slit their throats. They chose the latter. Hiraku was shuddering bag of nerves by the end of the exchange, Arashi was just resigned to his new fate. After spending nearly four months in Lockehaine he was used to the sort of blackmail that Cain pulled, Hiraku wasn't.

Arashi had found Hiraku on the outskirts of the city a month before the Festival, alone and scared. Right now Hiraku didn't look the way he did then, that had changed with time and a surprising pact between the two young men. Apparently, as had Hiraku put it, there were some 'very bad guys' after him.

Hiraku reminded Arashi a lot of how he used to be, a little naïve and very careless. The way Arashi had seen it, the poor sap wouldn't survive a week without help, so he helped Hiraku to conceal himself as best he knew. It wasn't easy, and it required a lot of adjustment on Arashi's part, but soon it was done and no one would know the new Hiraku from the original now. Something Arashi found slightly disturbing as he watched the youth parade around in a different skin. It was a visage Arashi knew only too well, and it was possibly a bit dangerous to give to the clueless teen, but at least it disguised his true identity well enough.

It was the news that Hiraku brought that disturbed Arashi the most though. Apparently, the hidden leaf village of Konoha was a complete ghost town, not a soul to be found in the entire place.

The last Arashi had known Konoha was unreachable on foot and it was besieged by an unknown force. Konoha was the nearest hidden village and so it was natural that Lockehaine's residents kept tabs on its condition, but not _that_ close.

How did Hiraku get into the village? Arashi had wanted to know, both how, and why. Hiraku said that there was a way in through the eastern part of the chasm that tunneled in near to the village. He also said that he went there to seek help in finding defense against the 'bad men' that were chasing him, only to find the village destroyed.

That was interesting, very interesting.

These were all things that Arashi pondered daily as a part of his routine. It satisfied him to know of Konoha's current condition, but there were other forces at work in the world that currently captured his attention; things such as the present fact of his guard duty, which he was reminded of as he came to his posting and saw Yoshi there already waiting.

"Hey kid," Yoshi greeted amiably. "Ready for the wait?"

Arashi stopped and stared point-blank at his co-worker.

"Don't," he said firmly, "call me kid."

"Okay, okay, didn't mean to offend you," Yoshi said defensively, holding up his hands.

"You didn't," the teen replied. "It's just that I have a name, and I prefer that people use it."

Yoshi found this slightly off-putting, but respected it just the same.

"Alright," he said. "You're Arashi then, correct?"

This surprised Arashi.

"You remembered?" he said, raising a reddish brow.

"Of course, we're not all pockets of airy sunshine like my sister whom I take it from the look on your face, you've met." Yoshi smirked, to which Arashi returned a rare and crooked smile.

"Yeah," he said, "you could say that."

"Don't worry about it. She only remembers that names of people she likes. You might not be batting a hundred there, but at least she doesn't hate you. That's worse."

Yoshi beckoned with an open hand.

"Come on." he called over his shoulder as he started forwards. "This is only the outside of the gate." he said, pointing to the double iron-cast wood doors. "We've got to get to the other side. Be careful though, it gets a little chilly in there so don't fall asleep on me alright?" Yoshi's voice began to echo as he knocked the doors in a specific order and they creaked open. Arashi began to hear a peculiar buzzing.

"Oh, and, don't be shocked." Yoshi said as the doors swung wide.

"Huh? Oh…"

If Arashi wasn't awed before, he was now. The area beyond the doorway was vast and echoed with the sounds of at least five hundred people. Some had set up stalls, and there was the occasional hawker yelling over the cacophony to tout his, or her wares to the noisy crowd.

"Now you see the reason for the back gate." smiled Yoshi. "It's kind of like an underground black market back here. Every thief in Lockehaine has the right to visit the grounds of any of the guilds to sell and trade their loot."

"I'm impressed," Arashi said sincerely. "How many guilds are there exactly?" He asked. "I know about the Alta Vista and the Maison Blanche but you keep saying 'the guilds' so there has to be more than two."

Yoshi just laughed.

"Actually," he said humorously, "that's just about it. The Maison is our main competitor so people usually hear more about it than the other guild, that's the Guinness, a pub on the other side of town. They're kind of small, but they do alright."

Arashi nodded and gazed around the massive cavern like place, noting that a series of mirrors decorated the door's arch in a strange pattern. Yoshi, noticing the interest, spoke up.

"Those are to prevent the guards from being targeted by a sniper."

Arashi turned his attention back to his partner.

"Sniper?"

"Yeah," Yoshi wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Miss. B. likes to employ mostly girls from the Red District, which should be a disadvantage but the Mistress cheats." he spat out. "She gives them guns. The mirrors are supposed to reflect any sniper's laser light so that we can see it before the trigger is pulled. We lost quite a few good men and women before Cain thought of it." Yoshi said darkly. "A lot of us would like to tear a piece out of that harpy's hide for what she's done."

Arashi didn't blame him as he faced a mirror.

"I can understand that." he said, putting a nostalgic hand to the flat surface as it misted over when he breathed.

"You have to trust someone a lot to let them protect you, so the people you lost," he said solemnly, "they must have been the best."

Yoshi stared, and smiled. For someone as young as Arashi appeared to be, he had some pretty good insights.

"That's what bothered me though, you see," the red head continued, "I didn't understand at first; why'd Cain send Hiraku and I to guard the gates? Why'd he choose two people he barely knows? Then I thought about it." Arashi tapped the mirror for emphasis. "He's risking it to see if we can be trusted with something as important as this. I figure, at best, he keeps us. At worst, he kills us, or some other nutcase would before long. At least with Cain we stand a chance of survival." Arashi stepped away from the wall. "Besides," he said, folding his hands behind his head, "where else can I get some good fighting practice and get paid to do it?"

Arashi grinned ferally.

Yoshi frowned inwardly, something was just odd about a kid who could figure Cain out like that. He shrugged though, and let it go, he'd worry about it later. There were more pressing matters to be concerned with right then.

The crowd bustled and seethed with energy. Yoshi watched it intently, sighting two Maison operatives almost immediately from the one scan alone.

It was going to be a long night.

---


	18. Maison at the Gate

**Author's Note: Hello dear readers. Thank you once again for your patience. It has come to my attention that some of you are having a little difficulty with the new settings and the direction that the story is taking. **

**I have said it before, so I shall say it again: There is a reason for everything. Plots are long and developed storylines that take time to prepare, so I ask for your continued patience. As to the naming of some of the new characters, Lockhaine is a multi-cultured city, I can't have every one named in the old style or it wouldn't fit the setting. If there are any thing you would wish to discuss with me directly my email is posted under my Bio page. **

**Please have patience.**

**Enjoy.**

---

It was getting quiet. Most of the regular dealers had already gone home and those that belonged to the Vista had long ago returned to the safety of their quarters, per Cain's unspoken request. They spotted the double guard and word spread rapidly throughout the ranks.

Trouble.

Trouble was on the way.

It amazed Arashi how quickly the people of the Vista could mobilize on instinct alone. Cain must be one hell of a leader, he thought to himself.

The people came in pairs or by themselves. They greeted Yoshi and the other two guards, but cast a confused and sometimes hostile glare in Arashi's direction. Yoshi tried to apologize for his fellows' behavior. Arashi just told him to forget about it.

It was nothing he wasn't already used to.

During his first few weeks in Lockehaine, Arashi made some nasty enemies by inexperience alone. He'd warned Hiraku of this fact when they first met, but the stubborn boy insisted on sticking with him.

No matter, he'd prove his worth in time.

Meanwhile, Yoshi introduced Kate and Ethan, the other two guards that were part of the standard shift.

Kate was a tall, beaky woman, heavily muscled and scarred from years of work in the underground. She wore her hair up in a loose topknot and had a rasping voice that cracked when she laughed. Perhaps too many draws at the smoker's pipe? Ethan by contrast was a thin and wiry man well into his forties. He was quiet and sallow skinned but something about the dancing brown of his eyes bespoke a wild past.

Ethan kept a well sharpened pair of daggers at the ready while Kate simply cracked her monstrous knuckles and grinned at any stranger that got too close to the doors. Kate favored a wickedly pointed pikestaff for her weapon of choice, but the sight of her hulking frame pounding a mammoth fist into one hand or the other was enough to scare off most petty crooks.

Yoshi had yet to show where his talents lay as he watched the thinning crowd like a hawk, spotting agents of the Maison that prowled just in, just out of sight.

Arashi leaned casually against the door frame and fiddled with one of his brass knuckles. He glanced upwards every now and again and then to Yoshi who was still fixated on the teeming mass.

"Ethan." he said offhandedly to the middle aged man on his right. "What happens in the case that the Vista does get broken into?"

The older thief was calm for a second.

"I'm not quite sure…" he said slowly. "It has…never happened before, at least to my knowledge. By rights…I s'pose that the winning side takes over."

"Alright, how large are the trade grounds in the other guilds?"

"Quite a bit smaller in respects I should think…The Vista is the only guild with access to this much space as far as I know."

"Do the guilds charge a percentage of whatever is sold on their grounds?"

"Well of course!" Ethan said indignantly. It was to first outward display of emotion he had given since the night began. "Yer not thinking that we let these ruffians deal under our cloak without a price do ye? Protection costs a pretty penny to keep the city constabulary off our tails. A vendor needs to sell in secret and we provide that secrecy. Heavens boy! We're inter robbin' but not gettin' robbed. It takes a bit o'dough to run the establishment, or did ye think that we're playin' a charity here?"

"I was just curious." Arashi grimaced and Ethan bantered on.

"Yer a sight too curious for a kid your age, why, in the old days a guard could chop an ear or two if a whelp like yerself asked too many questions. I used to collect em. Want to see?"

Ethan reached for his side pocket to pull on a string, and thankfully, was halted by a large calloused hand on his tiny shoulder.

"That's enough old boy," Kate rasped, "you can blither about the golden years later. We have work to do remember? Besides, you're scaring the Rookie." Kate smiled, a cracked grin full of yellow, but friendly nonetheless. Arashi breathed gratefully, he had absolutely no desire to see a ream of rotted ears. He was a little irritated that the woman had taken to calling him _Rookie_, but at least he wouldn't have to pretend he was interested in Ethan's 'collection'.Ethan went muttering back to his post and quieted down again.

"Sorry about that," Kate said. "Ethan's a good sort, doesn't put up with any guff, but a little touched in the noggin. Too many years in this cave if you ask me." She started to point to the up to the rocky roof. Arashi grabbed her hand.

"Don't." he said quickly and let go just as fast. Kate frowned.

"Something wrong?" she whispered, catching the note of urgency.

"Take a stretch," Arashi replied, "but don't look directly at the ceiling."

Kate gave him the tiniest of nods and went back to her post. She waited a good few minutes and then yawned widely, stretching her arms over her head as if tired. Arching her neck, Kate squinted sideways at the top of the enclosure.

Oh.

Now that was a problem.

"Ethan!" Kate shouted. "Switch places with Yoshi would'ya? I want to talk to him about tonight's pay."

Ethan grumbled a little and then shuffled over to where the twin stood, still watching the crowd. There was a brief and muted argument which by the look of it Yoshi lost because he came striding over with an irritated expression.

"Alright," he said, "What's the matter Kate? You've never complained about wages before."

"Well I am now, so listen," she said, lowering her voice as well. "There are some damned weird little papers stuck all over the ceiling right now; I don't know what they are but chance is that they ain't friendly."

"How did you find out? If someone told you they might recognize them." Yoshi said, knowing from experience that it was best to trust the word of his comrades than to suffer for it later.

"Arashi spotted em, so he might know."

"Okay then," Yoshi said, formulating a plan. "Follow my lead." He began to gesture in the way of someone explaining something.

"Pay is to be split tonight between the four of us." Yoshi said loudly.

"What?!" Kate exclaimed in return. "You expect us to share our cash with this pipsqueak?" she said, pointing vigorously to Arashi, who's attention shifted to the conversation between the two older thieves.

I'm not that small, he thought to himself, but assessed the situation and accurately faked surprise when he was lifted up and slammed against the wall by an angry looking Kate.

"Christ you're heavy for a little guy," she muttered before shouting, "I'm not giving you any of the loot, y'hear me maggot?!" Kate shouted into Arashi's ear, but beads of sweat broke out on her brow signifying that she was having a hell of a time holding him up. "Get out of here!" she bellowed and loosened an arm to open the doorway. Hoisting Arashi as high as she could with one shaky arm she threw the wincing youth into the hallway beyond and slammed the door. A great crash resounded from the other side that had nothing to do with how hard Kate could toss a man.

"Kate!" Yoshi yelled. "What the heck do you think you're doing?" He grappled for the door handle as Kate growled.

"I've spent five years at this post without having t'split any of the profit, I'll be damned before I start now!" She glowered menacingly at Yoshi's back as he hurtled himself through the gateway and out of sight.

She hoped the ruse had worked. Scuffles between thieves were common. There were too many Maison agents watching to be sure, but she thought she saw expressions of wild glee on some of their faces.

---

"You've got five minutes." Yoshi said as he crouched down to Arashi. "Make it quick." Arashi stopped the middle of rubbing a sore spot on his head where he'd hit the wall and spoke.

"I met someone about a month ago who told me all about those things sir, I'm pretty sure that they're exploding tags."

"Exploding whats?" said Yoshi, never having heard the term before.

"Tags," Arashi explained rapidly. "They're keyed to a trigger of some sort otherwise the second after they were slapped up there they would have blown the roof to bits."

Yoshi's eyes widened in comprehension.

"So you mean…"

"Yeah," Arashi said darkly. "The entire thing is wired for blasting and we're sitting right under it like a bunch of dumb ducks."

"We need to get those people out of there!" Yoshi hurriedly went to yank open the door. Arashi stopped him with a firm grip.

"Relax," he said, "nothing is going to happen until later, I've got a hunch."

Yoshi calmed but remained tense.

"I'm listening." he said.

"Okay, here's the deal," Arashi began, "if the Maison gets a hold of the Vista intact they get the rights to the trading grounds as well. That gives them one hell of a monopoly on the thieves market, not to mention a base of operations. The way I figure it, this isn't some petty revenge scheme, they're here to wipe out the competition."

"The double edged sword…" Yoshi said disgustedly. "If they can't get their mitts on it they'll blow it up."

"That's the way it goes," Arashi said with grim humour. "If you can't have it, make it so no one else can either."

"So the tags are the last resort."

"Exactly."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"Good, I need you to run as fast as you can and warn the crew and Hoshi at the front gate, she should have gotten them up by now."

"She did, I was there."

"Great, **move!"**

Arashi took off like a speeding comet while Yoshi watched in a bit of puzzlement.

There was definitely something strange about a kid who could figure things out like that. Suddenly, a series of loud bangs sounded off in the cavern.

Shit.

---

Hoshi sighed again for what felt like the millionth time. Sure Hiraku was cute, a little on the scrawny side, but cute, the problem was that he wasn't much else. Try as she might, Hoshi just couldn't get him to respond to her flirtations. She went through her entire arsenal of snaring tactics before she gave up. She had to give herself credit for trying but she had never felt more discouraged with one of her targets before.

He used to be meek as a mouse.

Hiraku could talk your ears off if you touched on the right subject. Hoshi made the mistake of bringing up that subject; subject being anything Arashi. What Arashi ate for breakfast that morning, how he sometimes snored or talked in his sleep, even the fact that the smaller teen hated vegetables. Hoshi swore if there were a Arashi Lover's fan club, Hiraku would have joined it, enthusiastically. She almost thought him a gay man until she realized that it wasn't lack of interest in girls that Hiraku suffered from, it was lack of interest in anything that wasn't his idol. It was pure and unadulterated hero worship.

It was like listening to a little kid extolling the glories of their new toy. Hiraku just didn't function as a healthy red-blooded male should at his age, something that still flummoxed Hoshi right down to her stocking feet.

It didn't help that some of the Vista's people came by every now and again. The most annoying of them all had to be Vivian, an attractive brunette and a knife twisting little guttersnipe so far as Hoshi was concerned.

She'd come by every hour or so and stand against the rail directly across from Hoshi; and she'd smile, the kind of smile that said _I know something you don't know_. She'd just stand there and it would shave Hoshi's patience to tatters. The worst part had to be when Bern decided to put in a visit…at the same time. Of course Bern was a softy at heart and he never meant any harm, but did he _always_ have to point out the painfully obvious?

"Hallo miss mischief!" he said brightly as he walked carefully through the doorway.

Hoshi groaned, oh God not this, she didn't need this.

"How goes ther conquest lass, eh?" He jutted his head in Hiraku's direction, Hiraku looking amazed that anything could be Bern's size.

"It's fine," Hoshi seethed through gritted teeth as Vivian's smile just widened. "Just peachy!" Hoshi threw up her hands in disgust and whipped around to stomp angrily into the Vista's front entrance. Bern sidled out of the way as quickly as he could with a look of bewilderment plainly written across his simple features.

"Did ah say somethin' wrong?" Bern said in stumped way, perplexed as to Hoshi's behavior.

"Oh, no, she's simply frustrated." Vivian shook her head lazily, still smiling. "She just discovered that not all of the male species is interested in her."

Bern's bushy eyebrows shot up through his hairline.

"E'didna take to er?"

"Not a blush."

It took a few moments to register with Bern. When it finally hit Vivian covered her ears as a thunderous guffaw rumbled forth from the giant.

"If that don't beat all!" he cried with mirth. "A lad that don't kindle to our girl's charms. Well done lad! Well done!" he clapped a vast palm onto the young man's shoulder. Hiraku looked confused.

"Did I miss something?" he said squeakily when his voice suddenly hit an octave that it rightly should not.

"No more than you should have." Vivian giggled. "It's good for Hoshi to lose once in a while." she said up to Bern. "Otherwise she's going to want to settle down some day and all the good men will be gone."

"Aye," Bern agreed seriously, "as many a fellow can say 'beware the maid that flutters a lash, there's fire in 'er game an' a dagger in 'er sash.'"

"Right you are." Vivian said, folding her arms. "She'll be fine in a day or two, then she'll just pop off to hunt the next unfortunate."

Bern was about something to say something in return when a faint thudding petered out from the Vista's dark halls. Suddenly, Hoshi burst into view panting for breath and very obviously trying to speak at the same time.

"Easy thar lass!" Bern exclaimed. "Take a breath, thaz it, now then, what's all this about?"

"I-it's st-started," Hoshi coughed. "The b-back gate a-attacked, heard the shots, Maison's there, big freakin trouble."

Hiraku went white as a sheet.

"Isn't that where Arashi went?" he said quietly.

Hoshi realized too late the mistake she had made.

"Hiraku, he came to warn us, he's fine."

The boy started to shake.

"No he's not," he said unsteadily, "I know Arashi, he'll go back, he'll get hurt!"

"Hiraku-" Hoshi tried to stop him, "Cain told us to guard the gate!" but it was too late. Hiraku raced down the hallway, abandoning the post. Hoshi started after him and then stalled. Someone had to stay here.

"Ah'll go lass," Bern spoke up, "they'll be needin' me at ther fight."

"And I'll stay with you," said Vivian, "as much as it pains me to help you, I'll do it if it means that the Vista stays safe."

"Gee thanks," Hoshi grumbled, "I feel so loved."

"Your welcome." Vivian quipped. "I'll go tell the others downstairs to keep a sharp eye out." she said, referring to the other guards posted at the bottom of the steps that led up to the Vista's front door.

Vivian went one way, Bern went the other, leaving Hoshi alone and wondering how the heck she was going to explain all of this to Cain.

---

Hiraku's feet thundered against the polished wood floors with a panicked urgency. He didn't know what he would be able to do, or even if he'd be able to do it when he got there, but he had to help. Arashi was his friend, he couldn't just leave him to fight alone could he? This might not be home, but one thing still remained the same, you looked out for your comrades and they did the same for you, no matter what.

He only hoped he could make it in time.

---

Ten minutes earlier, Arashi remained in the barracks for only a moment after he told the den what was happening at the gate. Half of the force left to help Yoshi and the others, the other half took off to different stations around the Vista's complex leaving Arashi alone. He looked cautiously around the room and knelt next to his bunk to whisper something inaudible. There was a brief pause and then a clatter of metal. Arashi grabbed something, slung it over his shoulder, and then proceeded to leave himself only to come face to face with an irritated looking Hoshi.

"Huh? What's going on here?" she said as she surveyed the empty space beyond. "Did something happen?"

"Possibly." Arashi said as a large crash shuddered through the building. "I left before anything serious took place but if that wasn't trouble knocking at our backs then I'm doing deaf. I was just about to go and tell you."

Hoshi stepped back and covered her mouth.

"I knew I shouldn't have left…" she said, sensing an awful shiver creep up her spine. "I'll go back, see you later!" She turned and hightailed it back to her post. Arashi waited a for couple moments after that and then looked down at his feet, smiling. He rocked a few times on his heels experimentally, then jumped… above the door frame.

Well now, that was definitely better.

He landed with a slight thump and parted from the barracks feeling lighter than he had in months, in more ways than one. Crouching down he put foot out and braced it, tensed, and disappeared. A series of bangs ricocheted off the walls in tandem with his movements at every corner accompanied by joyous laughter.

A Jinchuuriki was loose in the Alta Vista.

---


	19. Of Burns and Brawn

**Author's Note: Alrighty then, most of those who read regularly have already figured out who Naruto is. Congrats! Some of you however, hit much closer to the future mark. **

**t-dugong...you scare me sometimes.**

**Anyhoo, here's the scoop, the next few chapters are going to be filled with language of the lesser kind. Ehem. What I mean is that I'll be swearing up a bloody storm. Please know, all those that read, that I am not doing this to offend in any way shape or form, it simply that some of my characters have filthy little mouths. If you have concerns I reiterate, my email is on my Bio page. **

**I've been thinking that it might be nice to have some art drawn for the story. Any takers? I know, I know, shameless self promotion.**

**Ehem...**

**And so we begin.**

**--- **

Hiraku got to the back gate only to find it heavily barricaded by an injured knot of the Vista's forces.

"Let me through!" he shouted at the men and women who were struggling to keep the doors from cracking under the pressure from the opposite end.

"Sorry kid," one of the men grunted, "there's no way in hell we can open this thing up. Unless you want to be responsible for the mess afterwards?"

Hiraku gulped as the doors shivered madly with the force of a blow from the other side and dust rained down on the group.

"Thas' alrigh'." came a rumbling voice from behind Hiraku. "Ah'll take care o'ther problem." Bern sidled his colossal mass through the mess and picked Hiraku up as if he were no more than a rag doll and tossed him over his shoulder.

"H-hey!" he protested. "What are you doing?"

"Yeah Bern," said an exhausted woman with a scar that ran across her temples. "Are you sure you can hold them off?"

Bern set a massive hand on the doors' handles before answering.

"If Ah canna take on a few little lads an' lasses then whats ther use of me size then eh?"

"Good point," the woman snickered. "I hope you know what you're doing," she cautioned, "be careful."

Bern saluted her and was about to open the gateway when Hiraku shouted.

"Wait, WAIT!" he intoned loudly. "Did Arashi come through here?" he asked plaintively. "Please, tell me!"

"Who?" said the woman.

"The new guy" replied a perspiring Brody as he limped up from the floor. There was a bloody gash on his left calve. "Red hair, punches like an avalanche."

"Oh, _him_?" the woman said wonderingly. "Yeah, he came through here, just in time too. We were having the damnedest time trying to keep ol'Dez out when that kid barreled down the hall like a hurricane and shmucked him one right in the teeth. I swear I've never seen anyone deck Dez as hard as that, not even you Bern. The monster actually went flying! He took a good few of the Maison with him too." There was a pleased vindictiveness to the woman's voice, as if she were to one who had done the deed.

"You're forgetting, Janice, dear heart, he took a piece of me with him as well." Brody winced through a mocking smile.

"Oh that," the woman, Janice acknowledged. "Sorry Brody, didn't mean to make light of it."

"S'alright," he joked, "I always enjoy bleeding to death, it's a very _enlightening_ experience, you should try it sometime."

Janice shook her head along with the rest of the group. Only Brody could pull a crack like that when the chips were down.

"Who's Dez?" Hiraku asked curiously.

"A traitor an' a shame to his kin." came the growled rejoinder from Bern. "We'll be seein' him soon enough."

The rest of the crew backed away from Bern giving him a wide berth to move as he made to open the doors.

"Hol' tight." he said with an unnerving calm, while the fighters cautioned him again. Bern flicked the latches up and placed his palms flat on the wood and iron surface, shoving with all his might.

The doors flew open upon absolute pandemonium. Women fighters of the Maison wielded blaring guns while the Vista crew did its best to deflect the bullets. The occasional pair of be-knifed brawlers battled past in two's and three's, daggers and swords flying amidst blasts of shell artillery. Bern had to knock out at least three basely armed men with a massive fist before he could move forwards. Rock soared and dust flew everywhere. It was a war-zone.

Bern emerged next to a weary bodied Yoshi who barely looked up as the giant turned and pulled the doors shut once more.

"Hello Bern," Yoshi said weakly, "nice of you to drop in for a visit." His voice was barely more than a whisper, choked with strain.

Bern dropped Hiraku off his shoulder and let the boy scramble out of the way and into a corner.

"Wha' happened?" Bern inquired severely.

"Ethan," said Yoshi, "Senile old fool, found out about the stupid ceiling and started making a fuss. Tipped off the Maison and then they were all over us."

"Slow now lad, what's this abou'ther ceilin'?"

"Take a look." Yoshi pointed up and Bern's line of vision followed.

"Explodin' tags?" Bern said in surprised recognition.

"You recognize them?" Yoshi said softly as the world continued to shatter around them.

"Aye," Bern said enigmatically, "ah have'na seen em in an age but thas what they be no doubt." There was a growing menace in the giant's tone that Yoshi had never heard before. "Caused a bloody damned mess'n ther hill tribes abou'ta decade ago. Ah'd hoped never'ta see em again, but thas fool's luck for ye. Blasted shinobies are everywhere nowadays."

"Wait, shinobies?" Yoshi said faintly. "They have something to do with this?"

"Certes," Bern gruffed, "there's naught but ther damned ninja tha'knows how to use em as rightly." Bern jerked his thumb upwards. "Stuck up on ther roof as such? Thas not normal human ability lad, thas shinobi devilry, an' if not then ah'ma bleedin' pixie."

"This isn't good," Yoshi said holding his side, "We're in way over our heads with this." He made to move for the door but fell back with a gasp as his entire left side burst into pain.

"Yoshi!" Hiraku gibbered from his spot in the corner "Y-your ribs are st-st-sticking out."

"Wha's that now?"

Bern went to see what the trouble was. The entire left side of Yoshi's chest had been shorn away. Yoshi had obviously been trying to hold it closed. The wound had started to bleed afresh when he moved.

"Great scott man!" Bern exclaimed. "Ye need ther infirmary ye bloody idgit!"

"S'not that bad." Yoshi tried to protest, and failed, miserably.

"No' bad, mine fairy arse it's not! Hol' still whilst ah get a brand. You, lad!" he shouted to Hiraku as a bit of the archway crumbled overhead and a pair of whirling fighters drove past. Hiraku jumped.

"M-m-me?" he squeaked.

"No, ther wall, aye ye sorry lilly liver! Hol'im down," he pointed to Yoshi who was turning gray as his blood continued to drain drastically.

Bern grabbed a nearby piece of wreckage from the doorframe that was glowing with rosy embers from having been on fire at one point. He held it level with the gaping raze on Yoshi's body. Bern ripped a piece of cloth from his shirt and stuffed it into the fallen man's mouth.

"Ye've a good hol' on him lad?" he said to Hiraku.

"H-hai." the shaken youth replied.

"Thas good. Keep it tight so e'don't hurt 'imself. Now lad," he said to Yoshi. "There's no way in all o'creation that ah'll get ye ter ther infirmary without ye bleedin' ter death, an' heaven help me if ah let tha' happen. Yer sis'd ne'er forgive me." Bern smiled and Yoshi nodded. "So, ah'm goin' ter staunch ther flow with this." He jiggled the glowing plank. "Mind that it'll hurt like hellfire, mos' like ye'll pass out an' s'not mos' sanitary but ye'll live s'long as yer vitals are awrigh'."

Yoshi closed his eyes in resignation. Bern took it as a sign to start and pressed the embers into the man's side. Yoshi howled through the material in his mouth and bit down hard while his back arched reflexively away from the blazing heat.

"**AH SAID TER HOL'IM STILL!**" Bern roared at Hiraku. The poor boy trembled like crazy as he tried to keep a steady purchase on Yoshi's shoulders. Tears of pain leaked out of the wounded thief's eyes. Hiraku just cried because the stress was so great, because he was helping to hurt someone, because someone would be hurt if he didn't. He leaned all of his weight forwards to keep Yoshi as still as possible, whispering hoarsely that he was sorry over and over again.

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

Bern pressed again and Yoshi shuddered madly under Hiraku's hold on him and then went still. Hiraku felt the change immediately.

"We've killed him!" he shrieked and was immediately shut up by a back handed swat to his mouth.

"E's not dead, an' we ain't killin' im." Bern said coolly. "E's just passed out is all. Keep holdin' im down, we're not out o'this as yet."

Bern seared Yoshi's flesh twice more before the bleeding came to a halt and the smell of burnt flesh prickled Hiraku's nostrils unpleasantly. Bern leaned back on his heels as Hiraku let go and wretched violently over in the corner.

"S'not a pretty sight is it?" Bern rumbled. "When some young rogue tells me a thieve's life is all dash and glam' ah'm sore pressed not ter smack em. This ain't a life fer any man with a choice if'e has one."

Bern turned to see Hiraku's response, and was unpleasantly greeted by the youth's absence. He cast a hurried look over the rubble and found the boy scrabbling through the debris towards a pit of fighters.

"Blazin' hell!" Bern swore and smash a fist onto the gateway.

"Open'er up!" he yelled. "Ah've got wounded!"

A small breach in the wooden structure appeared and Bern slammed the doors open. Carrying Yoshi as gently as he could he lowered the unconscious man to the floor inside the Vista and left the people that were there with instructions to get him to a doctor as fast as possible. They nodded at Bern and closed the doors again after him, quickly.

Now to find that idiot kid, lord help him if he'd gone and gotten himself killed.

---

Kate heaved a man through the air effortlessly on the edge of her pikestaff and chopped her way through another with a grimace. No matter how many times she gutted a human being she would never get used to the sickening feel of metal sinking into flesh and bone. She just wasn't born to bloodlust; Ethan on the other hand…

"Fight me you yellow hearted worms!"

Ethan was a nut when it came to combat.

"Fight **me!**"

He already had a fresh string of ears around his neck, some of which still had gold and silver earrings in them, like some grisly necklace. There was blood on his mouth and a cut on his cheek. His eyes bulged and shone with a manic light that was terrible to look at; Kate couldn't at least. Ethan had both wiry arms held wide in a beckoning gesture, daggers in hand and his feet were crouched in a position that suggested extreme tension.

The remaining group of Maison fighters were backing away warily. None of them wanted to get any closer to Ethan's spidery form than they had to. Kate turned her staff blade-down and leaned on it.

"I'm not sure they want to play Bud." she said with a lopsided smirk. She still felt sick to her stomach, but seeing the Maison operatives think twice was calming that queasiness considerably. Kate knew she was too large for them to attack directly. They'd seen how well she handled the reach of her pikestaff, and so they knew it too. Kate felt no qualms about taking a rest

Just then a blond and very disorientated young man burst into their midst, looking very frantic and out of place. The Maison roguery spotted him immediately and fixated their hungry attentions, forgetting for a moment who was also present. There were two men that Kate recognized as regular cutpurses who worked the downtown market, the third was rakish brute that would have been handsome if his expression weren't caught up in the way of a slavering wolverine. She knew that look, knew what it meant. Predators had found easy prey. Acting quickly, Kate shouted to her partner.

"Ethan! Sic'em!"

Ethan crouched low.

"With pleasure madame." he said happily and sprang forward howling at the enemy, limbs a flailing swirl of flashing metal and stretching skin. The men immediately abandoned their target and ran in the opposite direction as fast as they could, Ethan after them screeching insults like a lunatic berserker.

Kate smiled. Maybe he was a bit loony, but you couldn't say he lacked for enthusiasm. It wasn't every day you came across someone who was willing to face a gang of thugs and look forward to that same confrontation. Battle was the only thing that incited a reaction from the usually quiet man, Kate hadn't seen him this active in, oh, years. Ethan was having the time of his life.

Kate shifted on her feet. Now where was that moron that ran right into a fight without looking where he was going? Kate looked down.

Oh…

Well she could hardly take it out of him now could she? He was sitting there, curled in on himself and visibly trying to make himself smaller than he was. If he Kate didn't know otherwise she could have sworn that it was a little boy and not a teenaged youth that she was looking at.

"C'mon hon." she said soothingly and touched his arm. "Up you get, that's it. What's your name kiddo?"

The boy got to his feet unsteadily and sniffed.

"H-Hiraku." he said pitifully. "Where's Arashi?"

Kate wasn't sure what to do with the mite. It was plainly obvious that he didn't want to be there, yet something was driving him to stay.

"I don't know where Arashi is sweetheart but we can try and find him if you like. Is that what you want to do?"

The boy nodded vigorously. Kate held him under her arm and smiled warmly.

"Alright then, lets go find Arashi." she said as kindly as she could. They only managed to take a few steps before a rumbling voice called out after them.

"Thar y'are, ye bloody scoundrel!" Bern shouted, sighting Hiraku's blond mop easily among the gray ruins. "What'd ye think yer doin' takin' off like that? Ye could've gotten yer' ead chopped'er wors'!"

"Relax Bernard," Kate said firmly, "I don't know what happened to this kid but its plain as day that he's scared witless."

Bern started, as if only noticing now that there was another person besides him self in the circle of devastation.

"Hullo Kaitlyn," he said moodily, "didna see ye there."

"I noticed." Kate said, just as testy. "There seems to be a lot of things you haven't seen, like the fact that this boy," she tilted her head to Hiraku's quivering shape, "is just as scared of your presence as he is being alone. ** What **did you do to him?"

"Ah've not laid a hand on im!" Bern contested hotly. "Ah'd ne'er harm the lad, ye know that."

Kate's eyes flashed with maternal fire.

"You know as well as I do that you don't need to touch someone to hurt them. I'll say it again. _What did you do to him?_"

Bern shifted uncomfortably and mumbled something.

"What was that?" Kate said sharply. "I can't hear you."

"Ah said," glowered Bern, "Ah had'im pin Yoshi while ah caut'rized'is wounds."

"_What!?_" Kate's voice rasped up a level.

"Ye heard me lass! Do'na make me say it again!" Bern's rolling shout caused several fighters to stop in the middle of mashing each other to a pulp and pay attention to the growing argument.

"There are several things I could call you right now," Kate said deadly quiet in the middle of the chaos around them. "_None_ of which could possibly encompass the enormity of your stupidity! What were you thinking?!" she screeched.

"It had ter be done!" Bern growled. "Would ye rather ah let Yoshi meet 'is maker? Ah'd be glad ter see'ow ye'd explain that ter'is sis o'ther morrow 'cause heaven help me, ah couldna do't."

Kate's eyes narrowed angrily.

"We'll speak about this later," she said as a group of clashing thieves blundered past in a state of imminent collapse, "when this whole pointless mess is over with."

The irritable pair moved on with Hiraku between them. The giants posed a very intimidating sight indeed.

Lets see them mess with this kid now, Kate thought ferociously. Just let them try!

---


	20. What Lies Within

**Author's Note: Alright ladies and gents, here's the part you've been waiting for; the full unmasking for those who've not figured out who Naruto is yet, here you go. On a second note I thank you deeply for being so patient, on a third Naruto's mannerisms will start to change quite a bit from here on in. Why? To put it simply, no one is the same person they were when they were born. Naruto is growing up, finally. **

**And so ladies and gents, we begin.**

**Enjoy!**

---

Arashi was stuck. It wasn't that he couldn't move or anything, hell, he felt more mobile now than in a long time. The problem he had was with a pair of oversized thugs that were more than a little misplaced in the midst of all the turmoil. They just plain didn't belong, period.

They appeared to be regular brutes but it was their chakra levels that caught Arashi's attention. They were way above normal. Ordinary humans had a decent amount of spirit energy to deal with to keep them running. The two bastards that were heading towards a section of wall that looked innocent enough. Arashi knew from experience that most likely wasn't the case, because these guy were really freaking strong. Each of them easily had more power than say, three Kate's combined; and Kate was pretty damn strong for a human being, she had to have been for her to be able to lift him like that earlier.

Arashi wouldn't be able to fight them without letting his guise down.

Damn.

Suddenly a quarry of voices reached his ears, they were arguing by the sound of it. Arashi strained to hear what was being said from where he was, hunkered down next to an overturned stall.

"_What?!_" rasped a female's voice.

That was Kate! Who was she arguing with then? Arashi poked his head over the tinder-blasted debris.

"Ye heard me lass! Do'na make me say it again!" came the crashing response from a man that equally rivaled Kate for size. Arashi shuddered to think what would happen if they had kids. He'd seen the guy, Bern, around the Vista a few times. Supposedly he was Cain's right-hand man. Arashi would test that theory later right now he had a problem.

How the hell could he go after the Maison thugs without being seen?

He thought about it for a bit and came up with a simple answer, but he sure didn't like it.

Arashi couldn't be seen, but Naruto…that was another matter.

Mori was going to kill him.

Arashi sighed and closed his eyes, beginning to concentrate on the person within. There were certain things he had learned with his time in Lockehaine, one of those things was to bury who he truly was beneath layers of consciousness. Even the least skilled interrogator could smell a lie when they saw one. The trick to defeat all of that probing and prodding was to believe the lie yourself, that was the only way he had managed to survive.

The young man sat and waited, with growing impatience as Arashi began to melt away and Naruto emerged. It had taken months of trying to imitate that calculating bastard, Mori, but Naruto had done it. He meshed his own personality with a deep observation of how Mori acted and reacted, bits of Gaara, and…something…or what he remembered… of Sasuke; the result was Arashi.

Naruto didn't know where the name came from. He was sure he'd heard it somewhere before, but other than that it just felt - well - right somehow.

Finally he felt himself break free of his self-induced remission. Arashi went back to where he was born, in Naruto's mind.

Naruto shook himself, frankly feeling a little creeped out that it had taken so long to regain his normal self. He let go of the henge he was holding in place and the last vestiges of Arashi puffed out of existence, leaving him but a memory and Naruto crouched in his place.

He wasn't much worse for the wear, a little taller he guessed as he looked over his shoulder and found that his back seemed more stretched than he remembered. When he stood he found that he was definitely taller than he used to be because the dark leather jerkin and canvas pants that had fit both Arashi and him so well three months ago were too tight to be comfortable in as he was now. He'd have to do something about that; later, when he had the chance.

Naruto hated leather anyhow, it squeaked too much. It was an Arashi thing he guessed, since that was who picked the clothes out in the first place.

Naruto un-slung the sword and scabbard he had grabbed from the barracks earlier from his back and tethered it properly about his waist and tightened the baldric. He clicked the scabbard off it's side hold and clipped it to his back to keep it out of his way. No sense in getting tripped up while he ran, and run he would.

Naruto felt butterflies flutter in his naval as Kate and Bern approached where he stood; both still apparently ticked off about something or other. Would they recognize him? They strode with such purpose and direct anger that Naruto almost didn't notice that there was another person with them in time. The blonde teen was small between the two giants but unmistakable. He'd styled Hiraku's new image based on his own after all.

What the hell was he doing here?!

As the small band got closer Hiraku looked up and saw him. A great smile smeared itself onto his face and he began to shout.

"N-!" Naruto put a quick, panicked, quieting finger to his lips. Hiraku took the hint as Bern and Kate's awareness focused on the person before them.

"Who's that?" Kate wondered aloud.

"N-Niisan!" Hiraku yelled happily. "That's my niisan!" He broke away and ran to greet Naruto.

"What be a niisan?" Bern rumbled.

"An older brother, something you might try being once in a while." Kate retorted.

"A brother?" questioned Bern. "Ye didna say anythin' about a brother afore now lad. Do'e 'ave a name?"

While Bern was busy being curious Kate glared at Naruto. He gulped back a breath of fear. He didn't like that look in her eye.

"Why," she said slowly, "are you wearing Arashi's clothes, and his weapons?" She indicated the brass knuckles and the aforementioned suit. The only visible difference between what Arashi usually wore and Naruto's attire was that his seemed smaller and Tsunade's necklace hung brightly at his throat where it had been all along under Naruto's pretense as Arashi.

"Popular combination I guess!" he replied sheepishly and put a nervous hand behind his head. An uneasy sweat began to collect on his forehead. He'd forgotten, with his reversion to himself just how sharp Kate could be. How stupid could he get?

"Niisan is friends with Arashi, they like the same things." shrugged Hiraku. "Isn't that right niisan?" he smiled up at his 'older brother'.

Smart kid.

They did look a fair bit alike though.

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed earnestly. "Although I'm thinking of changing it myself."

"Oh really?" Kate crossed her arms forbiddingly. "And where have you been all this time?"

Naruto laughed a little.

"I've been trying to find a way to see my little brother here, although it seems like I've come at a bad time." He ruffled the top of Hiraku's head.

"How's Arashi been treating you Hiraku?" Naruto asked sincerely. How did he treat Hiraku when Arashi was present anyway? Naruto hadn't the faintest idea, his consciousness was so muted at those times.

"Arashi went to fight by himself, and he left me behind!" Hiraku pouted so accurately that for a moment Naruto thought he was staring at a mirror image of himself.

"So you're looking for him now?"

"Yeah! But we can't find him!"

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll turn up sooner or later. Arashi can take care of himself. It's _you _I'm worried about. What the hell are you doing here Hiraku? It isn't safe!"

Naruto glanced up for a split second to see that Kate's glare had softened somewhat. Bern still looked confused.

"I wanted to help!" Hiraku said loudly. "You're the one always saying that we should never leave anyone alone, no matter what!"

Oh great, thought Naruto, now he's starting to pick up my habits too, soon we'll _really_ start looking like brothers. But would that be so bad? Really, as far as family went Naruto had a bad track record. His parents were either dead or missing, and he didn't know or cared to know who they were anyways. The only person he had ever considered his one true brother was a homicidal maniac right now, in the clutches of someone who was even more insane.

Yeah…would it be so bad if he let himself have this one chance at a normal, family type relationship? Wasn't he entitled to the same feelings as everyone else? To be allowed to worry about, get mad at, care for, love someone until his heart gave out; yeah, Naruto wanted that, and so he smiled.

"No, nobody should ever be left alone," he said a little impatiently, "but if you cause that person pain by getting yourself hurt then it's not worth the risk of running into danger in the first place. You know that." he said sternly.

Hiraku's head drooped.

"Hai, niisan." he said unhappily. "Will Arashi be mad at me?"

"No, I don't think so, so long as you go back to where it's safe, right now. Understood?"

Hiraku nodded and then did something Naruto didn't expect, but couldn't say he disliked either. He hugged him.

Naruto stood stock still for a moment and then reciprocated gradually, as if the action were a alien and foreign thing to him; and it was, no one had ever hugged Naruto before of their own free will, not once. He felt like crying. There were people he had known all his life that wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole if they didn't have to. Yet this person whom he'd only met a quarter of a year ago was willing to touch and be touched by him.

Naruto held the boy tighter, and cried, really cried. He cried because it was new, he cried because it was old, because it was pure and he hadn't done a damn thing to deserve it. Hiraku just cried along with him for the sake of it, and because he didn't know any better. Naruto felt that they must look like a bunch of blubbering idiots to everyone else; two perfectly teenaged looking men sobbing into each other's shoulders, and Naruto didn't give a damn. They could all go screw themselves for all he cared.

He stayed like that for what seemed a very long time but was in actuality only a few minutes. He let go of Hiraku reluctantly and eyed Bern with a teary expression.

"Could you take him back to wherever he came from?" he said with a slight hitch in his voice.

"Aye," Bern said tranquilly, all questions quelled for the moment. "Ah'll take 'im home."

Hiraku was herded along by the gentle hands of the giant and away towards the, amazingly still intact doors of the Vista. Hiraku never stopped looking over his shoulder even as Bern fought to keep assailants away from his charge. Naruto just stared for as long as he could until he had to blink.

"He's a lot younger than he appears isn't he?" said Kate, startling Naruto out of his reverie.

"Why do you say that?" he replied defensively.

"Women's intuition." she said casually. "Or it could be the fact that he doesn't act like any sixteen-year-old that I've ever met and more like a little kid."

"You won't tell anyone will you?" Naruto said anxiously.

"No," said Kate, "but I'd sure as heck like to know why he's that way."

Naruto's frame sunk with relief.

"Just trust that it's for his own protection. Believe me, you wouldn't want to know why if you did." he said with a tone of finality so Kate would know that the subject was closed to further discussion. "It's a henge, a disguise of the spirit that he's using, so any nasty falls or scraps will break it. Keep him safe." Naruto turned to leave and was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"Wait," Kate implored, "you look as if you can handle a thing or two. Why not stay? We can use all the help we can get."

Naruto shook his arm free.

"That's what I'm really here to do." he said "Listen, get everyone out of here that you possibly can, and I mean everyone." he stated as Kate started to protest. "I met up with Arashi earlier and he told me about the situation in here. That ceiling is going to hit the dirt any time now, because if no one has noticed, the Maison is losing this fight and they're not going to just stand by and let it happen."

Kate looked around and saw that he was right. The Maison _was_ losing ground. It wasn't particularly visible at first because of all the dust and smoke flying around, but it was there nonetheless. Kate saw Ethan off in the distance chasing a new pocket of Maison creeps. She didn't want to know what had happened to the last bunch.

"You still haven't answered my question about where you come from." Kate said as she squinted off into the cavern's distance.

"Eh heh heh, well you probably wouldn't like the answer to that either." Naruto tried to hurry the conversation because those two guys were way too close to the wall right now.

"Oh I don't know about that," Kate said suspiciously as she turned back. "I've never seen someone with markings like yours before," she pointed to the black stripes on either of Naruto's cheeks. "I'm kinda curious to know what clan you belong to because s'far as I know they're the only type of people who mark their members."

Damn she was sharp, but at least it wasn't sharpness in a direction that he couldn't handle.

"Sorry! I'm a one man clan," Naruto said candidly, "I was born like this to tell you the truth." And with that he was off, kicking up dust and shouting over his shoulder.

"Take care of Hiraku!"

Kate shook her head and went to round up the crew, feeling old. People like that young man had way too much energy. She stopped, and laughed. She still didn't know his name. She was still suspicious but she wished him well.

"Heh, good luck kid," she said to the air, "whoever you are."

---

Cain paced the floor in his study keeping his eyes on a solitary piece of paper that lay innocently on his desk. While the Vista shook with the force of explosions from deep inside the trading grounds he waited, and waited.

There would be a time when he could join his crew in the battle, but it was not now. Right now he had something far more deadly on his hands, something on his desk that, frankly, he detested. That cache of papers that he stole from the Maison Blanche contained the usual hoopla concerning trade agreements and such. It was that one form that caught his attention.

It didn't stand out from the others at first glance; no, Cain had read it as if it were nothing more than the cargo bargain it had appeared to be, that was until he spied the red cloud seal that it was signed with.

There was no name, but Cain didn't need one to know who the letter was from. The Akatsuki were subtle, but not subtle enough sometimes. Cain had had dealings with the organization before. They were a shadowy group that he neither liked nor trusted for his own personal reasons.

Cain took a closer look. The letter was written in an old code that no one used anymore, perhaps the best choice considering that most people who could have read it were either dead or too elderly to see it now. Luckily, Cain had some very interesting teachers as a child growing up in the city. He decoded the message as soon as he was able to.

The entire thing was concerned with the live capture of someone named Uzumaki Naruto. There was a bridge that Cain had heard of someplace in the north that had a name somewhere along those lines. He wondered if it was because of the same person. The whole trouble of the matter had to do with the agreement between the Akatsuki and the Maison. Apparently, this Naruto was somewhere in Lockehaine and the Akatsuki were willing to pay an X amount for his capture and delivery to a location somewhere in the Wave Country's area.

X amount meant a blank check; the Maison could demand however much they wanted.

Further more, _assistance_ would be provided for the take over, or destruction of the Alta Vista and all factions pertaining to it. That meant the Guinness would be the next target after the Vista was destroyed. If it was destroyed. Cain wasn't going to let that happen.

There would certainly have to be a search put out for this Uzumaki, whoever he was, he was causing too much trouble inadvertently for him to be allowed to stay on the streets. Cain would see to that. First however, his guild was falling down around his ears, literally, as a loose beam decided to crash to the floor just then inside the study.

He stopped pacing and headed for the door.

Really now, all this fuss over one man? How important could Uzumaki be that the Akatsuki wanted him so badly that they were actually _hiring_ the roguery of the city to find him?

Something was rotten in the state of Lockehaine, and it wasn't the Maison, not by a long shot. This went beyond trivial guild squabbles and right into the shadows. This was war.

---


	21. Need for Speed

**Author's Note: Herlos ladies and gents. Sorry for the delay by I sliced my index finger open by accident on the weekend, so typing is a bit painful. I just finished the this last chapter after hours of hard work, sweat and blood, listening to "Where are we running" by the Lenny Kravitz, ticking away like a maniac. Gods I love that song! Its very good for repeptitive work, (like typing). I had a blast with this, I hope you do too.**

**Warning!: All those with sensitive literary palates please be aware that I manage to swear like a barn-born sailor for the next little while. I mean absolutely no offense and if you find the need to be so please do it in the privacy of your own thoughts.**

**Enjoy!**

**---**

Once Kate had turned away Naruto let all hell break loose from his feet and flew across the burning wasteland of the cavern with fluid ease. It took him ten seconds to get to where the two hulking men were, bent over something that Naruto could only identify as a chakra charge. Not bad for a hundred meter dash.

He leapt high and pounded each fist into the bases of their necks and swung up between the two intruders. They had already set off the tag-line of explosives and fiery blasts were going off on the roof above. Naruto acted fast.

Pulling up from the swing he planted his feet on the wall and stuck to it with chakra, putting on an extra burst of speed. He dashed right and left to avoid the flying debris from the numerous bombs that were going off when he reached the ceiling and raced to outrun the line of fire.

If he could cut it off, the damage would stop.

Naruto took his speed to the maximum and whizzed by the calamity around him. Zinging rock shrapnel cut his face and limbs and shredded his garments. Well, at least he had another excuse to buy a new pair now, he thought as he reached the end of the shockwave just in time to rip the next tag in line away.

Naruto's momentum carried him for a few meters, sending pebbles streaming to the floor until he slid to a stop and looked down. Kami he was high off the ground!

He breathed deeply and took stock of the situation. The cavern roof was definitely weakened by all of the explosions. He wanted to pound himself flat for being too late to stop the damage. Careless!

It would be dangerous. One crack could mean that the whole thing caved in before Naruto could do anything about it. The entire section of that part of the cavern was webbed with cracks, and the Maison's men were just stunned, not hurt.

Not good.

Naruto took a second look at them. He'd thought there was something familiar about one of them, now he knew what it was. One of the large men was a guy that Arashi had floored near the beginning of the fight, called himself Dez. He was shouting at the other man.

"What'd you do that for Godo?!" Dez growled, rubbing a sore forehead where it had smacked the wall.

"I didn't do nothin'!" Godo snapped back angrily. "Yer the one that's hit me in ther head!"

Oh great, Naruto thought to himself, a bunch of geniuses these two. They couldn't even figure out that they had been attacked let alone that their plan had failed. Was the Maison short on lackeys? Because these two didn't look like they had enough brains between the two of them to fill a teaspoon. Not exactly representative of a powerful thieves guild.

Naruto sighed and let them argue, walking across the ceiling and back to the wall. There was something else that was familiar about those two but he couldn't quite place it. He began to slid down the wall as they continued to threaten one another with bodily harm.

"Youse ther one that did it Dez, you banged me head! Apol'gize afore I knocks yer skull in!"

"I ain't apologizin' till you say yer sorry fer hittin' _me_ in ther firs' place!"

"Thas' done it!" roared Godo, wielding a meaty fist. "I mights be a thief but I'se no lier!" Godo hauled back to punch Dez in the nose, and missed. Dez retaliated with a kick to his partner's behind.

Naruto felt like smacking his own head against the wall when he finally touched down. _These_ were the high chakra signatures that he was worried about?

He was about to write them off as dumb brutes when Godo landed, hard. A great crater formed around his body where it impacted the ground from Dez's kick.

Ok, Naruto thought, so they made up for in physical strength what they lacked in brain power. No big deal, really, all he had to do was avoid the fists of death and he'd be perfectly fine, great. Sakura would fit right in.

He felt a mad giggle fight to escape his lips.

Oh God, Sakura! He hadn't thought about her in ages. He could just imagine her challenging the two brutes to a punching contest, winning, and then doing some sort of weird victory dance that only girls seemed to be able to pull off without looking _completely_ insane.

Naruto couldn't help it, he doubled over, trying his best not to fall and snigger uncontrollably .

Godo groaned up from his prone position.

"S'not funny Dez, stop laughin'."

"I'm not laughin' Godo, there's this kid standin' right next ter ya see." Dez said, finally noticing Naruto's presence. "An' he's kinda funny lookin'."

_Hey! That's not fair_, Naruto's inner self said. _They're at least ten times as weird as fuzzy-brows, and I'm definitely cooler than him!_

"You should take a good look at yourselves before you call anyone else strange." Naruto said before he thought about the words, and who he was speaking to, and just how absolutely _bad_ they would take it. Simply put, in the good old fashioned Naruto way he leapt before he looked, right into the fire, forget the frying pan.

Well at least he knew that he could be himself again.

"Did'ja hear that Godo?" Dez sneered.

"I heard Dez."

"He seems ter be implyin' that _we're_ the funny ones eh?"

"I'd say thas about right." Godo said as he rose from the ground and brushed the dirt from his soiled - and downright oderous - clothes.

"I say we teaches him whos the funny one eh? He'll look right odd with 'is spine shoved up 'is skull." Dez chuckled evilly and Godo along with him. They both advanced on a now slightly nervous Naruto.

Very thug-like of them to forget that they had been fighting with each other only moments ago, Naruto thought. How stupid could the situation get? Because there seemed to be plenty of it flying around right now. Naruto's previous laughter had vanished leaving him thwacking his imaginary head against a mental wall. He knew that these types would go for any target if they were given one. Naruto may as well have painted a big red bulls-eye on his chest, lain down on the ground and be done with it.

Why did his normal mind have to be so hasty? Arashi worked so much better, noticed things more clearly and thought things through. That wasn't him though, it would never be him. Arashi was just a made up person, a fiction; depending on him would be like…Like asking the Kyuubi to lend Naruto power again. So Naruto made a deal with himself at that very moment as he backed up to assess his options: when he was himself he would be only himself and no other, not the Kyuubi, not Arashi, and certainly not Konoha's Jinchuuriki, if he ever found out what happened to the place that is.

Suddenly Dez swung a fist that connected with the ground in front of Naruto, shattering it as he barely managed to dodge.

Ah! Soul searching later, fighting **now! **Idiots approaching!

Naruto took stock of his enemy. Godo was smaller than Dez so that meant he would move faster. Dez lumbered awkwardly on his right foot. A limp? Godo took out dirt crusted knife that had most likely never seen a proper cleaning since its forging. The monster flicked it slowly from hand to hand like a barroom tough, attempting to intimidate. Naruto smirked. If there was one thing he knew now, it was that these two hadn't the faintest idea what a real fight was like. Just the way that Godo handled that flimsy little tooth-pick was proof of that.

Okay, now he had something he could work with.

"I'd stay where you are if I were you." Naruto said in a sing-song voice.

"An' why's that?" Dez growled.

"That's why," Naruto pointed up. Their eyes followed.

Oh jeez! Naruto couldn't believe it as he went to ram both men in the stomach. Oldest trick in the book and they - **SLAM!**

Ow…

Ow.

"OW!" Naruto spat out blood as he held in his guts. They didn't fall for the ruse, or at least Dez didn't as Naruto's vision swam and he blearily surveyed the impression of malicious joy on the giant's face.

**_"_**_Note to self, Dez's not as dumb as he looks," _ran across Naruto's mind as he fought to stay conscious. It was a mark of his training that he didn't pass out right from the pain. He knew from personal experience as he shifted slightly that at least two of his ribs were cracked. He could almost hear Mori's disapproving drawl.

_Two minutes into a fight and you get cocky boy, well done! Now what are you going to do?_

Naruto knew what he was going to do as Dez drew back to punch him again. He was going to run - fast.

Naruto sprang off the ground to the side, avoiding the slam, into what was quickly becoming a graveyard instead of a cave. The brawlers pounded after him, making up for in stride what they did not have in speed. Naruto's teeth clacked together with jarring agony as his bones ground together inside his chest. Fan-fucking-tastic fun, he'd need to bind it somehow.

Feet striking the ground with slicing precision Naruto veered off to the left in what was almost a ninety degree angle. He peered at the wreckage around him as he ran… looking for something that could function as a serviceable wrap - there! A coil of cindered rope stuck from under a pile of stones ahead. Naruto scooped an arm under the prickly loops and swiped it away from the rubble as he ran, pulling up dirt and dust as well.

After spending his first weeks under Mori's attention as the bastard's personal piñata Naruto had invented a wonderful little list called 101 more things you can do with rope. (He'd already gone through a thousand ways to use it to kill his tormenter with it by that time.) One of those things was a useful little trick that bound up cracked ribs by wrapping it around said cracked area in a series of twisted knot-like helixes. It hurt like hell but it worked, as he'd found out the first time he'd used it to hold himself together after falling by accident one day from the ledge. That had hurt.

Naruto slung the rope around his shoulders as he ran; not the easiest thing to do but he didn't really have a choice, or, rather that he could choose between stopping and getting pummeled, or keep running and stay relatively out of harms way. A little no-brainer that one. He wished he could go faster to outdistance the blundering wonder brothers but there was the little problem of him being in no condition to go any faster than he already was.

His healing rate had slowed down considerably over the years, there was no depending on that anymore. He had himself, and that was it. Naruto let a small smile slip onto his lips.

Yeah, he was learning all about that, being self reliant. He kind of liked it. It wasn't the same as being alone, not really. Learning to like who you were was a hard thing to do, but at least he was trying - trying to forget that there was a monster inside of him wasn't easy. It _was_ easy to hate it, hate himself for carrying it, but then again…It was always easier to hate something than to stand up and face it for what it was.

Now wasn't that what he was trying to do in the first place?

Naruto steered himself towards the center of the cavern where the structure was the strongest at the moment; it would have to be for what he was going to do. He whipped the rope over each shoulder twice, wrapped the opposite ends in a figure-eight around his torso, and then looped the two sides together and pulled _tight_. He winced. Damn that hurt! It was effective though, as he felt the grinding lessen to a dull throb.

No longer feeling so much like a badly constructed toy soldier Naruto graced the ground with a last thrust from his legs and vaulted into the air. It was fun to fly again.

Dez and Godo careened to a stop under Naruto's still rising form and glared up murderously. Naruto smiled at them cheekily.

"Can't get me up here can you, ya ugly buggers!" he taunted; not the smartest thing to say in his current situation but… What the hell, it was who he was, may as well enjoy it, bruises and all.

That was when the Raccoglitori on his wrists decided to act as proper representatives of gravity. Gravity politely said hello, I'm sorry, but I don't like being defied. Would you come down please? Naruto began to fall faster than he had risen.

Shit.

Shit, shit, **shit!**

This was bad; this was not good; Godo had his knife out again; he was tossing it again, and again; wait; Godo? Godo and that stupid pig-sticker of his! Naruto's grin spread wildly over his face.

"Lesson one!" he shouted down as he fell rapidly, rapidly, rapidly drawing his sword.

"NEVER LET GO OF YOUR WEAPON!"

Strangely enough, Naruto thanked Mori internally for beating the crap out of him whenever he forgot his own. He would never let go now, not even if his hand was mangled.

Godo's blade was in mid toss when Naruto landed heavily on his arm, shearing through it, and flung the knife off into space with a precise catch and throw off his own cutting edge.

The giant howled and clutched the severed appendage while great gouts of his lifeblood spurted out.

"Lesson two!" Naruto said as he whirled around. "Guard your body!" He swung a leg out and kicked Dez in the right ankle - hard.

"He's killed me Dez!" Godo shouted wretchedly, "He's killed me dead!"

Naruto watched with grim satisfaction as the injured giant wailed about.

Then something strange happened.

"Aw, quit yer blubberin' you soddin' idgit!" Dez bellowed, clutching his leg. "Here's yer damn arm!"

Dez picked up the bloody thing, limped over, and slapped it back on - and it stayed.

"Thanks Dez…" Godo sniffed and flexed the limb without difficulty. Naruto's jaw dropped.

No, freaking, way.

No way in hell!

That just wasn't possible!

"Where the fuck did that come from?!" Naruto yelled. "That's just - that's just sick! You don't just stick an arm back on after its come off. It isn't right!"

"Neither's choppin' it off in ther firs' place." Dez snarled.

Naruto was shocked for a moment and then it clicked; oh, right, Dez not dumb, remember that. It was surprising that the man had the capacity for normal human reasoning, at least to Naruto it was, then again is was also surprising that the same person had so much chakra too.

Hold it.

That had to be the explanation for the arm, otherwise there was absolutely no way Naruto could logically accept what he had just seen; and he'd seen some pretty weird shit before. This didn't take the cake but it was pretty damn close.

Chakra had to be the answer.

Chakra, the perversion of the spirit. If controlled it was a valuable asset, if mastered it became a weapon.

These two…they'd been trained.

"Who taught you?" Naruto demanded.

"What're you on about?" came the reply. "We're not learnin' anything useful from yer 'lessons' boy, 'cept that yer a bloody coward!" Dez's mouth fired out the insult.

Naruto tapped his foot impatiently.

"I mean," he said, eyebrow twitching, "that you're controlling your chakra. No one can do that unless they learn it somewhere, so who taught you?"

"I don't know what ya mean kid but I'm not in any kind o'mood ter be arguin' with the likes o'you anymore. Yer meant ter be pounded an' thas'it!" Dez took something out of his pocket, a round pellet that Naruto recognized as a soldier pill, only by the looks of it the pill was at least twice as large as it should normally be. He popped the thing in his mouth before Naruto could stop him. Godo did the same.

"Wait!" Naruto put forth a hand to try and halt the action, but the chance was gone. He stared in horror as the effects of the pills took place.

Ordinarily, soldier pills were a means of giving the human body an extra boost of strength and stamina, only to be used in the direst of situations. If someone took too many at once their body would begin to break down from an overload of neurotransmitter impulses because it was using energy that it didn't really have. Chouji had been evidence enough of that, years ago, during a mission to retrieve Sasuke that had failed horribly. Too many pills too fast had severely damaged the boy's body. Luckily, if there were any person that could bounce back from such a blow it was Chouji. He might be a little lazy, and certainly overweight, but he was hellishly loyal. Chouji was one good guy to have in a pinch, as Naruto knew.

But these guys weren't Chouji. They were mean, massive, and quite swiftly getting larger at an alarming rate. They swelled, and swelled until each was at least as big as a house or more. When they finally stopped growing they peered at their new mass with greedy expressions. Godo in particular moved the arm that had been cut off and lightly thumped it into the ground. There was a loud crashing sound and then, when the hand was pulled away, Naruto saw that there was a gaping hole where the floor should have been.

Oh, well, great. Another freakishly strong clown was born. Naruto had had more than his far share of run ins with people who had no right to be more powerful than they actually were. The universe sucked, Naruto decided, because things like _this _happened.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to call this off for now?" he called up to the gradually blinking goliaths. They scowled down at him, seeming slower than before. Dez raised a gargantuan foot and made to step on the blond shinobi who dodged away from it. Alright, Naruto took that as a no.

To work then.

"Hey boneheads," he baited, "betcha can't catch me!"

Naruto leapt away running for what felt like the millionth time. He would need to come up with a plan quickly as the roof began to cave in. Dez and Godo charged after him with their overlarge and cumbersome new bodies. The force of their foot falls weakened the already precarious nature of the cavern. Fortunately gravity also had rules about unfairly sized beings.

The rule was this: the bigger the person, the slower they move; so Naruto who had trained almost exclusively in the art of endurance and speed had the upper hand.

Too bad the ceiling didn't know that. A jagged crack opened up above and showered boulders with crushing force. Naruto increased his velocity. As the world exploded overhead he raced against his own mistakes and the ones he couldn't make anymore.

---


	22. Maelstrom

**Author's Note: This is where the title of the story truly comes into play. You may or may not see why but I guarantee a very memorable chapter. There will be a remission after this into more familiar territory with an old face coming back into the picture. I'll leave you to be judge of who. I've already left a clue in this note, see if you can guess:) Sorry for the delay though. This is singularly the longest chapter I have ever written.**

**Enjoy!**

---

Kate had been trying to get Ethan and his foe to leave when it happened, the explosive tags went off. She stared at the orange and black mottled cloud of destruction with a sick feeling in her stomach.

They had to get out of there, now.

Kate whirled and doubled her efforts.

"Come on you old bat, we don't have time for this!" she said.

"Just one more for the road Kaitlyn m'dear, just one." Ethan licked his lips and his opponent backed away fretfully.

"Stay away!" the man screamed. "St-stay away, you freak!"

Clearly Ethan's presence was having a negative effect on the person; he was scared shitless.

"Pipe down you!" Kate snapped at him. "Look, if I ask my friend to leave you alone will you come quietly?"

The man looked at Kate as if she were the nutty one.

"You must be joking," he said as heavy boulders started to crash down. "That- that thing, sliced off Jose's face and **ate it!**"

Kate raised a brow at Ethan who shrugged nonchalantly.

"I was hungry," he said matter-of-factly.

Kate let go of an annoyed breath and gazed at the bug-eyed, horrified expression on the face of the Maison man. Yes, she could definitely see why he might be afraid; but seriously, what a night. First the Maison went ballistic with their tactics, then the roof goes boom, now this…

Kate felt a headache building behind her eyes. She'd have to tell Cain about the development of Ethan's new - eating habits as soon as this whole fiasco of a battle was over and done with. Kate was fed up with it.

"Look," she explained vehemently. "If we don't get out of here now we're all going to be a bit more slimmer and a lot more dead. Now, do you want to live or not? It's either stay and be crushed or come with us. It's your choice bud."

"I'll take my chances! "Besides, _he _might try something," he spat, referring to Ethan who blinked back innocently grinning with red stained teeth.

Kate's eyes billowed up with wrathful impatience.

"**Fine!**" She shouted. "Stay! Get crushed! I don't care! I offered and you refused. Just don't complain in the afterlife buster, when it's your own damn fault you're dead! Come on Ethan." The enraged giantess stomped away angrily. "We've got to get inside before our asses get fried."

Ethan looked rather put out and reluctantly sheathed his daggers after wiping them on his already crimson splotched tunic.

"Be grateful that I respect Miss Kaitlyn's wishes sir, good eve to you," he said politely to the man, and left with Kate who had already shouldered her pikestaff and gone off. "Honestly Kaitlyn," he began when they were a decent distance away, "couldn't you have let me at least take a finger? My collection will suffer as incomplete."

Kate was about to reply when a strange whizzing sounded from behind. She knew that noise.

"Get down!" Kate yelled as she ducked. Ethan was a second too late and a flash grenade went off just inches away from his back, melting the skin and clothing there.

Kate stared in shock as her partner twitched and writhed about trying to escape the burns. Something inside of her clicked. Kate's face shivered over with an icy rage and she directed this attention in the direction the grenade had come from, the Maison agent. He stood posed with his arm outstretched, having thrown the explosive. The expression of smug triumph slithered off his pug-like features when he saw Kate get up.

She was very, _very_ angry.

"That was low," she said, voice dripping venom disdain," even for scum like you that had to be scraping the bottom of the barrel."

The man stood frozen as Kate stamped over with menace in every step. He babbled incoherently when she grabbed his neck, squeezed, and crushed his larynx.

"We offered you safety, swine, and that is how you repay us?" she said, deadly serene. Then, calm as you please, she held the carcass by the hair, swung back the blade of her staff and beheaded the cretin. She didn't even wince when the vertebrae snapped like dry twig and the body toppled away, a bloody fountain, still twitching.

"There," she said brusquely, "Ethan gets his trophy after all."

Kate steadied the pikestaff and jammed the severed head down on the top spike with a wet squelching. Grimly satisfied with her work she went back to where Ethan still lay breathing harshly.

"You gonna live?" she stiffly asked, still brimming with hate for the Maison.

"I'll manage," Ethan grunted painfully, "but if that is any indication," he nodded at the detached, goblin-ugly head of the Maison thief, "the other fellow is in worse shape than I."

"Early birthday present," came the terse reply. Kate jiggled the staff and the grisly ornament wobbled.

"My dear - you shouldn't have. It's absolutely - stunning," Ethan said with dry, halting humor between labored breaths.

"Yeah and the stench will be too once its been sitting around for a week. Shut up and sit up, I need to carry you." she responded with a clipped voice. The more violent remarks were being bitten off at the root. Kate knelt down with her back to him and set her weapon aside with its macabre decor. The older man obliged with some difficulty, wrapping his stick-thin arms about her shoulders. Gently, Kate grabbed her staff and rose, making sure Ethan was safe and secure. Then she centered her balance and braced her lungs to yell, loud and clear.

"**LISTEN!" **The bellowed summons rippled and washed over the carnage, the dead, and the remaining fighters with a pure ring. Astonishingly, or perhaps not, they all halted their actions to attend Kate's message. Even those men and women as far away as one hundred meters stopped to take notice of the one steady voice amidst the chaos.

"If any of you want to live then come with us! No matter who you are you'll all be gone as soon as this thing caves in, so make your choices now!"

Kate met their gazes with a steely-eyed glare and saw that some were considering the offer. The ceiling dropped a few monolithic missiles and that seemed to set the deal for several of them. Death was a great equalizer, even for the most bitter of enemies. Many of the combatants sized their opponents up with complete distaste and reluctance. Each knew the other could not be trusted, but that it would mean death if they didn't.

"I'm willing to stick it out if you are," said one man to another. Surprisingly, he was from the Maison.

A few although, completely absorbed in their own hatred for the opposite faction, would not share any space of life with their enemy unless it was to kill them. They stayed; the others went.

Being sick of the thing, Kate stalked off towards the gate of the Vista that was barely holding together. A ragged band of both Vista and Maison members followed her as she approached the doors. They snarled at one another, trading an even flow of insults.

She felt a strong urge to knock all of their think-witted noggins against the nearest anvil she could find. Arashi's friend sure was asking a lot when he petitioned her to include _all _of the fighters in her little rescue escapade. Why did she have to decide to be nice today?

Hiraku…

Gods bless the mite, Kate knew there was definitely something childlike about the boy. The way he clung to… supposedly - his brother, was unlike any reaction Kate had ever seen. They plainly trusted each other quite implicitly, otherwise Hiraku would have been much more upset than he was over his niisan's absence. "Niisan", that was all that Kate knew about the mysterious sibling to Hiraku. Come to think of it, who was Hiraku anyway? He knew Arashi, that much was obvious. But…

All of a sudden a woman's screech shattered the already broken air and Kate's train of thought was brutally derailed.

"Look!" the woman cried with awed fear, "what **are **those?!"

Kate turned to find the terrified female pointing a shaking finger at something off in the distance. Kate looked and staggered as two tremendous crashes shook the earth.

Two gargantuan beings stood ominously over a small figure identifiable only by his flaming yellow hair. Kate saw. She saw the blonde beacon flicker down and then away like a shooting star. She saw and was acutely afraid for his life.

"There's someone else out there!" A second person shouted. Kate didn't need to hear it though, she already knew who that was.

"Get out of there kid!" She screamed at the scene before her. The giants careened after the running figure, creating a mess of seismic disturbances that echoed through the walls and rattled the ground like a toy in the mouth of a hunter's hound.

Some of Kate's group managed to pick up on the runner's existence but were unable to focus on him for long. They vainly struggled to stay upright as stone and wreckage slipped and rolled away underfoot.

"Come on you idiot, get out! You'll be killed!" Kate yelled again at Hiraku's brother, but her voice was swallowed by the deafening din around her.

"You know that lunatic?" One of the observers asked her.

Kate's expression was clouded over with concern as she replied.

"Not very well but he's the brother of someone else I know. What I don't get is why in seven hells he's leading on those monsters! They'll crush him!"

"I wouldn't be so assured of that Kaitlyn," sounded off Ethan who was still clinging to Kate's back. "Look at the way he's moving, that is not the motion of an amateur. I believe he knows what he's doing."

"He's right," a heavily scarred woman said, "I spent ten years learning 'ow to dodge an' dash an' I still wouldn't be able to keep up with your kid there. He's a pro that one. Take it from one who knows."

A chorus of agreement went up from the small crowd and they turned a quickly growing interest on to the progression of the unknown young man who moved like the wind. Kate became exasperated.

"Are you all just going to stand there and watch?!" She blasted them with the query and was met with a firm resilience.

"Calm down lady!" One cried.

"Yeah, we's watchin'," said another.

"Meanin' no disrespect Katie dear, but we've seen precious little that's more exciting than a slit throat for the last god forsaken hour, so please, kindly bugger off." That came from behind. Kate whirled. There was Janice standing in the open doorway of the Vista. Standing, limping, and crouched with her were wounded Vistans, all of whom watched the springing youth with gawking eyes and wide mouths. Brody, who grasped a bloody leg, was uncharacteristically frowning at the whole thing.

"But! -" Kate tried to protest. Ethan stopped her, a frail hand crusted in human essence resting on her arm.

"Be patient," he whispered, "this is a rare thing for all of them. See? Two guilds standing side by side without a single raised fist. Whomever this man is he inspires the kind of awe that creates peace. See the hope on their faces? That's food for our starving lives, we who so often have none.

"They are hungry people, these murderers, cutthroats, rapists, and thieves. They are called the scum of the earth, no honor among them, and yet they have hope, genuine wonder that one of their own kind can face a horror that they would not. I certainly wouldn't," Ethan let a small chuckle escape off his parched tongue, "and as you well know, fear is not a thing I find easy to feel. So your young friend is either a fearless fool, or a very brave idiot."

Kate considered all of this, and in some weird way it made sense. She'd felt that spark almost against her will when talking with the young man.

"I think he's both hon," she smiled, "It'd take some kind of freaky courage for me to stay anywhere near those things. I might be big but I ain't crazy."

"Amen to that," Janice sniggered, Kate rolled her eyes, and they both quieted to watch the event playing before them.

And as the world shattered, and the earth groaned and slipped away into the darkness, a Leaf of Konoha burned brightly in the night, in the mind, and in the heart.

---

There are only so many ways a man can dodge a bullet. Naruto was out of options, and any plan he might have made was blown to smithereens the moment that he looked up; the roof really _was _on the verge of complete collapse.

With very little time left to execute any kind of operation, let alone think of one, Naruto did what Naruto does best: he cut loose like a mad bat-outta-hell and rounded on his foes with a vengeance.

He charged them with very little actual idea of what he was going to do, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. In the meantime, Naruto… threw himself flat as a flying fist streaked overhead.

Great, he'd be a ninja pancake the second he let his guard down.

"Is that all you got?" he said loudly, standing up to his assailants. They just grunted and both swung at the same time. Naruto smirked impishly and shot up and over both of their colliding strikes, easy as a bird.

He suddenly saw it. The closer he was to them, the safer he'd be. Why hadn't he thought of it before!? All that running…yeash.

Godo roared, clutching his hand, which Dez slapped away and grunting, pointed at the miniscule man they were _supposed_ to be fighting.

But - something funny was going on. Dez squinted.

Naruto had backed up to a considerable point and was grinning like a maniac. Then, without warning, his feet began to move in a swinging blur, sounding like rapid ticking taps against the stone. Coiling to leap, he jumped at the last moment, a meter away from the giants.

That was the beginning of the game.

Soon Naruto was springing all over the two monstrous buffoons laughing away at their sluggish flailing. One moment he was on Dez's head, the next he was on Godo's shoulder and the idiot was thwacking Dez right upside the proverbial kisser. Naruto struck and bounded away, carving small, irritating cuts in their flesh. They kept trying to swat Naruto like some annoying shinobi flea. He avoided it all with…some grace, and a lot of wild whirling about. Jumping, diving, and dodging to the tune of his pace, Naruto whooped excitedly.

This was fun!

He landed once, on Godo's nose and caused Dez to haul back and break his partner's front teeth. Naruto was about to take a rebound from Dez's arm when something caught his attention.

Aw hell…

Godo wailed in the background, sounding no more than a buzz to Naruto, his problem lay elsewhere, on the ground.

There were a number of people milling about on the gray broken earth like an upturned anthill. What were they doing here?

"Oi," he shouted, "Oo-oi! What're you standing around for!? It's dangerous, get inside! Inside!" He kept jabbing his sword in the direction of the doorway, hoping they'd notice and take the hint. Naruto could have escaped on his own with no complications. Now that he had to worry about a crowd, with all that was going on…Something nasty was just begging to happen.

**Ssscrack!**

Oh. God. Please let that not be what it probably is, he thought to himself.

Naruto gazed warily up.

Sure enough, the stone overhead was beginning to give way. It jolted down ominously in places, suggesting a very large amount of pressure building up.

Dez finally noticed his unwelcome guest and swiped at him. Naruto sprang away, no longer amused.

Shit.

God damn it! Damn it to hell! How was he supposed to fight at all in his current condition?! One set of cracked ribs, creeping exhaustion, not to mention the wrist Raccoglitori putting a vast drain on his own chakra were all factors weighing him down; and, on top of that, he had a new group of thick-skulled ninnies to worry about that didn't seem to be getting the message that **it just wasn't safe to stick around right now! Go away, PLEASE!**

Fuck subtlety! As soon as this thing was over, (if it ever was), he'd _make _Mori take the damn bracelets off him, or he'd beat the bastard to a pulp for making him wear the stupid things in the first place. Either option was fine by Naruto, personally he preferred the latter, maybe adding the skinning of Mori to the list.

Dez swung again, nearly snatching Naruto off guard.

Oookay then, first things first: slay the monsters, divert an almost natural disaster, and save the day.

Sure; fun, heroic, suicidal with a side of insanity; what's not to like? Yes, Naruto was having a _great_ day…night…whatever - so far, and wasn't it only going to get better? Definitely! He just had to figure out how to do something impossible, take two pills, and call the doctor in the morning. But of course, fate was having a bitchy day too, and the two damn titans already took the two damn pills, and now they were too damn big, and the whole damn _thing _was so screwed up that Naruto really just wanted it to be over with **now!**

Be careful, very careful, what ill you wish for; sooner or later you get it, in the worst way possible.

Naruto was in mid-leap when the ceiling decided it had had enough, rippled once like an agitated snake, and shuddered apart, showering those below with a hail of deadly shards and massive slabs.

_No…_

His world narrowed to a moment, a frozen nightmare of distant screams so slow they might never end.

_No…_

The giants covered their heads with their arms, flinching from the worst of the blows, and the screaming wouldn't stop.

"No!"

Naruto knew it might kill him, he hadn't used it since Mori's _exam_. This chance, this one shot he had at making everything right might well deliver him to death's door; but…what choice was there? Did he have one?

Most certainly.

It was the choice he made when he decided to become a shinobi. It was the choice he made to take the tenth Chuunin question. It was the choice to continue: things like a promise of a lifetime to Sakura, an oath on blood for Hinata, they were so important. It was part of his 'way', and everything after that, to never, _ever_, give up.

He reached inside himself to find that last resolve.

"No matter what!" he shouted, more for his own reassurance than anything else. "I won't let anybody down! I WON'T LET THEM DIE!"

His words were solid, and Naruto never goes back on his word. Falling within, falling without, he wrapped himself in his own chakra, thin as it was, and pushed. HE began the monumental task of levitation. Thousands of tons of rock and rubble rained down. The winds started up in all directions as Naruto moved the air out and away from himself. They whirred and whistled, cushioning the stone missiles.

Suddenly, a rending agony ripped through Naruto's body as many of the heavier pieces fell and caught on the wind web. He could raise stationary earth easy enough, or if it were already rising, but acting against the laws of a very fast and very harsh gravitational pull - that was pure pain. He wanted to scream with the nerve slicing sense of it. Naruto bit his tongue bloody and forced himself to keep his mouth closed even as the furious airstreams clawed their way through his being.

He swore his teeth would crack, he swore his eye would go blind, he was clenching so hard; he swore, and swore, and swore, and swore until there were no more curses left to be sworn.

He stayed there, suspended in his own jutsu, trying too hard for a cause he wasn't even sure could be worth it anymore; and, making those pathetic half-shrieking jerks of a man trying to flee the torturer's knife while still shackled to the wall, he broke.

It was the most curious of sensations, as the pain faded to stinging. A warm tingling buzzed all up and down Naruto's body, and a floating feeling bellied up through the stomach. Sound was gone. Had it ever existed? There were times, places, memories that flickered in and out of his mind; his mind…felt as if it were drowning in something like…well - there was nothing like it, even though he'd felt it before. There was nothing that matched reaching the end of your soul, nothing.

Naruto had used the last of his chakra.

His consciousness began to sink away even as he protested feebly within.

_Not now…_

_Not when I'm so close…_

_Please…_

_Not…_

Now, there was no more light, and everything was quiet, and darkness, and void.

………

……

…

The gates were there, just like the first time, just like every time, and those poison yellow eyes glared out, beckoning.

**Well gaki, what do you want now?**

_…Not you._

**Heh, tough luck kid, we're both stuck with that arrangement, thanks to your damn Hokage.**

_Doesn't matter, I don't need you._

**Oh, and you're doing such a fine job without my powers. Just accept the rush and everything will sail smoothly.**

_I said, I don't need you._

**You're trying my patience kid. Pull the damn seal and we'll never have this problem again.**

_You hurt Sakura, you hurt my village, my friends. I, Don't, Need, You._

**YOU, did that, not I. Gaki, open this cage!**

_Do I have to repeat myself, you damn fox?! Go away!_

**Naruto…**

_What?_

**We are going to die if you do not stop this foolish way of 'not needing' me. We will die, I will die. I have lived for hundreds of years, I have seen the dawn of the shinobi and I will see their fall. If you do not open this door I will _make_ you. You have no idea how important it is that I survive.**

_You're just a greedy monster whose scared of kicking the bucket!_

**DO, NOT, TEST, ME!**

_……Whatever, you can just stay in that cage and rot for all I care._

The Kyuubi waited, biding its time for the moment. This stubborn kid needed to understand. This wasn't just about power, there was a whole mess of history that needed to be sorted out, and there was no way that it could be done with this thickheaded dolt. Kami save him from the stupid ones…He waited, and spoke.

**Do you know why we demons are called the "incarnations of nature"?**

_…_

**Do you?**

_…No._

**Heh, It's because that's what we are kid, we're the living negatives of your positives, and all that mushy stuff. Keeping it short, if we die, your world falls apart. Got it?**

_What the hell? You're saying you're **necessary?!**_

**Do I sound like I'm joking?**

_I think you're lying._

**It's your world kid, not mine. The Kami would just have to start over and that'd be the end of it.**

_You mean…they made you?_

**No they only filled the world with daisies and sunshine, then man went and mucked it up. Of course they made me! What'd you think happened? I fell out of my mother's arse and became a powerful terror overnight? Get real kid, this is the _Kami_ we're talking about here; if you don't like the answer don't ask the question, I never did, and I never will. These are _gods _gaki, if they had to explain every single little ache and pain this damned planet endures nothing would ever get done.**

_But it doesn't make any sense!_

**Kid, the Kami aren't supposed to make sense, and they don't have to, they're Kami. _You're _supposed to shut up and do what they tell you.**

_You're no god._

**No kid, I'm not, but I'm as close as you're ever going to get to them unless you _take off this seal!_**

_Fuck off!_

**Believe me kid, I'd love to get the hell out of here, but the tiny fact remains that I'm _stuck here, with you_, so I may as well make the best of it. Now you going to let me out or not?**

_How many times do I have to tell you - _

**-How many times do I have to tell _you_. This isn't an option. You die, I die, the earth goes boom. Is there anything more simple than that?**

_Ramen!_

**…Gaki…you are the weirdest human I have ever had the displeasure of being in. Only you could possibly think of food at a time like this.**

_Yeah, yeah, it's still true. Ramen makes the world-go-round, and there'd be a lot more happy people if they'd just eat it! It's delicious, it's cheap, filling, and - say what again? You've been sealed before?_

**Long ago in a far more reasonable idiot.**

_Who was it?_

**Ask Moriya.**

_You mean Mori right?_

**If that's what he calls himself now.**

_You know him? How!? How does something like you know him?_

**The same way any two people do, we met, end of story. You want to know more? Then ASK the traitor! NOW BREAK THIS SEAL!**

_I can't, and I won't. If I let you out then there'll **be **no me any more, there'll just be you and your evil. I know that. You can't fool me, damn fox!_

**Have I ever told you how much I absolutely hate you? In the last little while I mean, have I said it? Seriously, kid, you're dumb, really dumb if you think that refusal changes _anything_ for me. My body is already physically gone, so I can't return to it, but my spirit is stronger than yours, eventually I'd break this barrier on my own, and whether you liked it or not we'd be merged. Hell it might even kill you, but once that seal's gone, I'm free kid. And not even your destruction will kill me then.**

_But I can't trust you! Every time you lend me any amount of power I go crazy! I - you, hurt people I care about! My body degrades and I can't function as well afterwards. It's suicide!_

**Gaki, you really don't get it do you? IDIOT CHILD! Why do you think that happens?! It's because the link between us is incomplete! What happens when a switch gets flipped only half way all the time eh? The power flows but it only lasts for a short time, eventually wearing out the connection. Your Yondaime was a genius when it came to this seal. He planned it so my chakra would leak into you over time, preparing your body so you'd be ready to accept me when the time came. But something fucked with that balance, it's called your damned _pride!_**

_I want to defeat you, you stupid fox! Not soak you up like a sponge! Get lost!_**Geez kid, doesn't that line get a bit old after a while? I can't _get lost_, stop chasing the impossible and focus on the things you can solve! Like this seal for example, it's really, really simple. You pull it off and all the bad things go away, more or less. Luckily, you're still wearing some of the Anima Raccoglitori aren't you? I can feel'em. They always did itch.**

_What do the Raccoglitori have to do with the seal?_

**Oh, everything. They were specifically designed to help a host accept his or her demon. Gift-wrapped and sent to you stupid humans by Kami express.**

_What the hell!? How the heck did Mori have them then?_

**Kid, I'm not going to answer that question, so don't ask me again. Now what setting are the Raccoglitori on?**

_What?_

**The spell that the traitor invoked, what was it?**

_S'blocchi, something, something. He said another thing but I can't remember what._

**S'blocchi di meno, the second highest sealing incantation. The old bastard's still sharp, he kept you on these things until you could run in them didn't he?**

_How'd you know?!_

**It's old training kid. Every vessel that carries a demon incarnation has to do it, always have. What effects the body effects the spirit, it's the same in reverse. Raccoglitori pull on your spirit, weighing it down, weighing _you _down, stretching and strengthening both your body and chakra. Think of it like any other physical activity, only you're building up your soul's muscles instead. The stronger the soul, the easier the transference, it's that simple gaki. **

_…I still don't trust you._

**Did I ask for that? No, no I didn't. I asked you to grow up kid, put all that blasted training to use! Sometimes you're not going to like what you have to do but you're going to have to do it anyway; or, were you really too dense to figure that out? I HATE humans, not in the loving kind of way you hate vegetables either, I mean HATE! Hate as in tear, rip, shred, massacre, kill the WHOL DAMN RACE! You get my point gaki? I hate your goddamn guts, but I still need you to survive, to live in the human world as any more than a beast I need _your _mind; so, if I can suck it up so can you Naruto_-hime._**

_What guarantee do I have that you won't take over my body?_

**It's your body kid, you don't need anymore guarantee than that. I just live in it, unfortunate as that is.**

_So there's no way for me to know if you're telling the truth about this or not._

**Gaki…you're running out of time, just make the damn decision and it'll be over with. Apocalypse or merger. What's it going to be?**

Naruto really didn't want to do it, but if he had to decide between killing everyone, everywhere, and taking the plunge with an incarnation of pure evil, well - there wasn't really much else to think about was there? Either he did or he didn't. He wished he could tell Sakura and everyone that he was sorry for everything the damned demon had done to their lives. It was always about power, always, and he hated that…always would.

_Alright fox, I'm listening you bastard, now tell me what's going to happen once I go through with this stupid thing!_

**Glad you're seeing sense. Here's the deal kid: once you pull the seal off there's going to be an awful lot of chaos in here and you've never done this before so let me do the work. You'll feel like someone is overloading your chakra circuits, that's normal so don't freak out. My own energy will become your own, and you may notice some…interesting attributes afterwards. Other than that it'll just feel really uncomfortable for the first few minutes, then you're walking on air and it's over.**

_Fine…If you try any funny stuff like taking over, world domination, that kind of thing, I **will **kill both of us. I don't care how long it takes._

Naruto stepped forwards, over claws and extended paws to the gilded bars where the simple inscription lay. A white piece of paper with some writing on it, that's all the great seal looked like, and that was all it needed to look like. Naruto put his hand on it for a few moments, hesitating, and then began to pull. There was a queer tugging somewhere around his naval. He ignored it, hardening his resolve, and ripped the rest of the seal away. So much for not making a deal with the devil.

**YES!!! YOU DID IT KID! YOU FINALLY DID IT!**

The Kyuubi howled with glee. For the first time in _years _he could fill the cramped confines of the cage break away and his immense being poured and bubbled forth. Naruto stood as still as he could when the chakra hit. The fox laughed.

**Kid I did forget to mention one thing. If you're not strong enough to handle me then the planet's dead anyway. Good luck!**

Then the dark was loud, and bright, and the mind shattered into a hundred stars, and coalesced, becoming something else, entirely.

---

The doorway of the Vista was cramped and overcrowded now, filed with curious onlookers and survivors of what had transpired.

Kate couldn't believe what she saw, she still couldn't. One moment she was about to be crushed by a slab the size of a mess hall table, the next second the wind picked up and the huge thing was floating like a balloon.

Everyone was shocked, even as they moved away into the confines of the Vista and the door finally gave way after taking so much abuse, they were still stupefied.

Rocks simply don't get up and start flying away, it wasn't possible; then, they say it: the great whirling orb where the titans were trapped inside, being pummeled by shooting debris, an in the center of it all was that golden flicker that Kate knew to be Hiraku's niisan.

Was he the one doing all this? How?! Kate was dumbfounded, it wasn't human, whatever it was.

"Hey!" someone shouted, "isn't that the same guy as before in there?" They pointed at the shimmering center of the phenomenon.

"I do believe it is," Ethan said up from the floor where he now sat.

"What's that thing he's in?"

"A Maelstrom, I'd wager, if I'm any judge of such things."

"What's a Maelstrom?"

"A Maelstrom," Ethan began, "is a mythical storm, formed of the spirit. My mother used to tell me as a child, that she had seen one while traveling out west in the Northern Desert. I didn't think they existed until now."

"You're just full of interesting' tales now aren't you old man? Go on, tell us another!" The person joked with the people next to him, who laughed.

"I'm quite serious," Ethan said and fixed them with his dancing eyes, "in fact there might be someone here who would most likely agree with me. Wouldn't you say so, Master Cain?"

A sudden silence fell on the group as a cold voice cut into the crowd from the very back, responding.

"Indeed, it certainly is an accurate assessment. What I would like to know," the icy accent continued, "is who is making it, and how did they get in?"

Cain walked gracefully up the hall as the group parted in wave before him. There was a dead quiet that clung to him at all times, accompanied by the authoritive click of his boots. Behind him stood Bern; having already delivered Hiraku to safety, his place was at Cain's side.

"That guy!" the same shouter as before yelled. "Up there in the middle of the thing. Can you see him?"

Cain didn't even squint as he stepped to the forefront.

"Yes, I can. Someone tell me who he is, now."

The tattle-tale started to shout again. Kate cut him off.

"I think I might sir," was the awkward relay.

Cain set a frozen eye on her large frame.

"Tell me who he is and when, how, and where he comes from."

Kate was hesitant, she didn't want to say anything, it might get Hiraku in trouble, not to mention herself and Ethan. Maybe Bern too, but Cain would always forgive him, he would not forgive insubordination from anyone else. Kate had no choice.

"I don't rightly have his name, but Hiraku called him 'Niisan' which I am sure you understand means older brother in this land's native tongue sir."

Cain nodded.

"Go on," he urged. Kate swallowed a breath of air.

"Well, the kid also said he was friends with Arashi, the Rookie you know. Anyhow, the guy didn't say anything to the contrary, he was quite nice actually."

"I didn't ask for a personality check," Cain said flatly. Kate blushed.

"Of course sir, didn't mean to get off track."

A couple of people snickered, Kate glowered at them.

"Actually, if ah may be so bold ter say so Master Cain," Bern spoke up from the side of the stony leader, "Ah think it might be jus'as import'nt as 'is means fer bein' there in the firs' place."

"You met this man as well?" Cain did something he never did. He raised his eyebrows.

"Aye," Bern replied, "right nice e'was as…Kate said. We were chasin' that young nut Hiraku, when we as met 'im. E'seemed the scattered sort, ye understand, not much light upstairs, but as decent a fellow as they come. There was naught of ill intent in 'im, not even a smidgin. Did say e'was there ter see 'is little brother, and there was no lie on 'im could that ah could find. An' in fact, ther whole thing makes a bit o'sense iffen ye throw Arashi inter ther mix. He might've let ther lad in, though I'm not seein' how."

"And there was no name?"

"Notta peep sir."

"So far I have motive, intent, and relation to the facts at hand. If there is anything else someone would like to add to these facts, feel free to do so. I am listening."

"I might have a bit to say," Ethan piped up.

Cain shifted his attention downwards.

"He's a spiky blonde chap, eyes a bit like yours, not so dark though; about six feet tall, approximate weight is one-hundred-and-sixty-five pounds; has three black stripes on each cheek, and he moves like a shinobi."

"Are you certain?"

"Sir, I have worked in circles questionable to my current employment, you know this. What I saw out there is shinobi training, there is no doubt in my mind. Combined with the fact that he is using spirit energy to create the Maelstrom, I would say that we are dealing with an elite. I have seen some pretty fancy footwork in my day, but never anything as poetic or astoundingly fast as what that young man can perform."

"That certainly explains how Arashi knew about the tags…," Kate grumbled.

"Please repeat that," Cain said sternly, not hearing her right.

"Arashi was the first person to notice the exploding tags that were stuck all over the ceiling. He recognized them for what they were and told Yoshi n'me. He'd said that he had a friend who knew about this kind of stuff that told him about it. I'm guessing it was Hiraku's brother that he was talking about."

Cain was looking scarier by the minute. His expression was taking on that darkening quality that said he was very displeased with something.

"I shall have to speak with those two as soon as this is over, in the meantime," he said, "I would like a full report from all of the senior crew and any of those that had or still have information on our _guest_."

Just then, the wind stopped. A violent shaking began

"Everyone," Cain stated calmly, "stay inside."

They didn't need telling twice. The stones and wreckage that was hovering in the air began to plunge again, sometimes shattering against the ground, other times making massive craters with their impacts. The ceiling was completely caved in now, and it was apparent that is was raining outside of the cavern's destroyed covering. False dawn bathed everything in a sunken glow, the fight had carried on till morning.

Everyone began coughing on dust and smoke as fires went out and the last of the rocks fell. Two gargantuan mounds were just barely discernable in the distance, and hanging above them was a golden flicker that began to plummet downwards, almost at the same time it was spotted.

"K-KID!" Kate shouted through a cough. "KID, HOLD ON!" She was about to race forwards when an iron hand on her thickened arm stopped her.

"We don't know what is going to happen now. Stay here," he said with finality. Cain was not taking any chances.

"He's gonna die out there without medical help sir!" She became close to hysterical, post-battle fever inching in close to her mind.

Bern 'ahemed', and stepped forward reluctantly.

"Beggin' yer pardon Master Cain, but perhaps we'd best cut the lad some slack? By ther look of it he put in a right honorable effort ter save every soul here, even ther Maison, an' thas not something' e'en Ah'dstep to as quick as he do seem ter 'ave done."

"Yeah!" shouted the _shouter_, "he saved our bacon that one did. Might've been loony when he did it though."

Cain, seeing he was outnumbered, nodded and made the 'go ahead' gesture. He had learned long ago never to give an order that he knew would not be obeyed. From the looks on the faces of the Vista crew, and even some of the Maison (which he was still uncomfortable with having anywhere near the Vista at all), leaving the unknown shinobi alone was out of the question. There were fierce expressions on the lot of them. Whatever they had seen, it was enough to procure a morbid kind of loyalty. He'd seen it before, Battle Bond, deep admiration for a fighter's skill. It didn't happen often, but when it did there was a high chance that it would never go away; that Bern was still with him alone was proof enough.

A small troupe of men and women, consisting of Kate, Janice, a scarred female fighter, and two men, cousins, with gleaming stilettos and something that wasn't rust on the edges. Ethan would have attended, but as it was, there was no way he could move without causing himself a lot of pain, so he stayed.

What they were walking into, they could never have known. A bonding unlike any other in a thousand years.

---

Cold…colder than he ever remembered being, Naruto awoke in a quiet descent. Air whistled past, biting into his skin, then the changes started.

A dam had broken within him, red chakra poured forth in waves and streams, drowning his senses in a deluge of energy. It wasn't painful. It was overwhelming. His body emitted light like a falling star, slowing, slowing, coming to rest on nothing at all...

**Didn't I say you'd be walking on air?** The Kyuubi's sandpaper voice grated through him.

**Hold onto your sword gaki,** **this is going to get a little rough.** The understatement was given, and the Kyuubi began the true process.

The streaming chakra began to shift and change. It arced out in flares and then plunged back to the source.

Normally, when Naruto was fully energized, he felt the equivalent of maybe three of the flares. He was receiving dozens at a time. If he wasn't yelling before, he was now; not because of any pain, no, his body was taking on so much chakra at once that it's systems were running faster than they had ever done. It was the first time he was ever glad he was wearing the Raccoglitori, suppressing the chakra flow as much as they could. Otherwise he was quite sure he would have gone insane.

In the same moment that Naruto felt cold, he felt hot. It was quiet yet the scrabbling of people some ways away was as loud as if it were right next to his ears. Simple air that should only be a whisper on his skin was a racing tickle. He could taste what he smelled. Everything was much more vibrant, rich like thickened wine, and his eyes - dear God…

Naruto's eyes had snapped open, still as eerily clear as ever, but different. The were thrown wide, rounder than coins, taking in everything.

"_Did you always see like this?" _he whispered internally.

**Yeah kid, useful ain't it? **The Kyuubi laughed at his host.

Naruto could see, he could really see for the first time. He must have been blind before. Everything was as bright as day, cast in an effervescent light. Rain sparkled as it fell, every crack and fissure that lined the walls one-hundred meters away, it was all visible right down to the pulsing red of his veins.

_"…It's beautiful," _he said reverently, _"I can understand why you'd hate being locked up."_

**Gaki, if you go soft on me now I'll bite your brain in half! My part's done for now, it's your turn to concentrate. If your soul's strong enough you should be able to convert all of my energy into your own. Do it quickly kid, unless you want to be devoured from the inside out. You and I both know that demon energy and human flesh doesn't mix very well. **

_What if I can't do it?_

**Then you're doomed.**

_Gee, how comforting._

**What? You want me to truss it up in a bonnet and slippers? If you want sugary truths go talk to the tooth fairy.**

_Whose that?_

**…Kid, you're some piece of work. **

_Whatever. When should I start?_

**I said quickly you dimwit, so _now _would be a good time!**

_Yea, yea, keep your stripes on. I'm workin' on it! _

Naruto touched the massive amount of energy that was inside of him and flinched. It really did sting! Couldn't it be a bit more easy, maybe? Oh…bother. Troublesome, as Shikamaru would say. He didn't like it, but just like the stupid fox said, it had to be done. He could already feel the chakra beginning to burn. He concentrated.

Holding on to any amount of the stuff was dimly like grasping a cord of mosquito bites. Well, the Kyuubi did say it would be uncomfortable. Geez…Naruto tried, with what remained of his own chakra, and there was very little, he tried to change it, morphing it to match his own.

It was hard! No matter how much force he applied the stupid stuff just wanted to stay they same!

"**Kid, you're not doing it the right way,"** the Kyuubi said dryly.

_"Well how am I supposed to know what to do if you won't tell me!?" _Naruto was upset, and he had every right to be. His own body had been invaded, his sense were on overload, and there was an annoying demon in his head.

**"Kid, I can't give you everything, it just doesn't work that way. You're the vessel, I'm the demon, you take all the shots and I just give you the power to do so. I'm not going to pull your ass our of the fire every time it needs saving. Depend on yourself for Kami's sake!" **The Kyuubi was irritable and unwavering in his decision. No matter how much Naruto asked, he would not change his answer. No more help would be given. Naruto was on his own. He'd have to think for a change.

What could he do? He needed to change the Kyuubi's chakra; so, what was chakra? Chakra, according to Mori, was the spiritual energy that the soul produced; so, if the soul was the source, then wouldn't changing the source change the energy?

**Very good kid, it took your ancestors decades to figure that out. **The Kyuubi's voice butted in.

_Shut up…_

**How are you going to make me do that? In all respects kid, you're very unrealistic about a lot of things, like this saving Sasuke business - **

**-**_You stay out of that!_

**I say it because it's true. If you keep trying to do something that ain't possible you're just going to wind up flat on your dumb face every single time. This Sasuke guy has a mind of his own, and not you or anyone can change it for him.**

_You know what? I really don't care right now. Where's your soul?_

**Right under yours gaki, if you'd ever cared to look.**

_What the heck? You mean it's been right there the whole time?_

Naruto looked within to the spiral source of his own power. There was a glowing red spark right under his blue one.

**Of course it was there! Where'd you think it would be, inside a chicken egg? Which reminds me…I haven't chased fowl in such a long time. I wonder if they still squawk the same?**

_Last I knew, birds don't bark._

The Kyuubi snorted at that and his voice trailed off into a mumbling speal of disturbing content…about chickens…and the dismemberment thereof. Naruto would have shaken his head with vexation, but he had other things to do.

Focusing on the nature of the soul he felt the difference between it, and his own. The Kyuubi's soul was sharp, violent, bubbling, burning, and if he had to name a taste, it would be spicy. Naruto's own soul was - hard to describe. There were two aspects to it: one, a wild conclave of whorls and arcs, and the other an electric blue-white sphere that pulsed tranquilly. It was so unlike itself that he wondered how it existed at all; yet that was what he had to work with, so he did.

Naruto concentrated on moving his soul's nature to the Kyuubi's. It was hard, tiring work. Eventually something happened that he couldn't quite explain. His soul, pulsed once, strongly, and then sent little tiny feelers down in a spiral that searched, and latched onto the Kyuubi's.

_Eew! That is so weird!_

Naruto, frankly, was creeped out a bit. It was like looking at a spider wrap up a bug. That's what hi soul was doing, the tendrils had a life of their own, wrapping around the Kyuubi's red spark, muting its glow to a beating purple then extinguishing the color altogether.

Naruto really should have been prepared for the backlash.

When the Kyuubi's chakra changed it exploded through Naruto's system. If he had thought he was being overwhelmed before, it seemed silly to have thought that now. This was much, _much _worse.

Energy flared and flew out from him. His heart banged in a bruising tattoo against his chest, so much so that it was stealing his breath in small puffs. His soul soared, up and up, growing, rushing, thrashing, blasting through until!---The growth stilled, faded, and sank into Naruto's body as it lowered gently to the ground. With all of his new chakra now calmed, Naruto - lying on wet rocks under dark rain - was silent.

He just…lay there, staring up at a stormy sky. Something, everything, he understood. It was strange and it was frightening, but for a single moment in time, before it faded away, he understood. The way things worked, the depth and spread of the universe right down to the atoms, the power in everything from plants to bacteria, and stars, millions, billions, trillions of stars.

The feeling slipped away and left him gasping aloud.

"What was that?" he said hoarsely.

The Kyuubi laughed loud and long inside his mind.

**Congratulations kid! You just had an Expansion!**

_What the heck is that?_

**Call it a gift from the gods or whatever the hell you want to label it. An Expansion is a rare experience for humans, last one was two of your centuries ago to an old woman. It means that you've just received what you might call 'cosmic knowledge', or as I like to say, you've picked the brain of Kami, or at least one of them. Someone up there likes you kid or I doubt you'd have made it this far on your own. You're too reckless, even for a human.**

Naruto groaned and started moving to his feet. A train felt like it had run over his spine

"So that's what it was," he gritted out, cracking his back. Gods it was stiff.

"You'd think I was lying there all night or something," he grumbled, "all my limbs have frozen up."

**What'd you expect gaki? Your body just took in the equivalent of ten lightning strikes so your muscles tensed up, you were clenched tighter than a virgin's - **

_-Don't say it you bastard!_

**Whatever kid. You can't be a shrinking violet forever. I _know_ what you think about at night.**

Naruto blushed furiously.

_Shut it._

**Ha! Sooner or later you'll realize that you're a full blooded male, and I'll just be there laughing my proverbial tail off when you do. In the meantime, I'm going to take a nap. Oh, and by the way, company's coming. Hope you talk faster than you fuck up kid. G'night!**

He was about to go chasing furiously after the Kyuubi inside his head, as weird as it sounded, even to him, when a troupe of slack-jawed men and women came into view. At the forefront was Kate, bloody, battered, and alive. What they saw was a young man, enshadowed in indigo black-light, covered in red marks that had no cuts, faded bruises, and shredded clothing with a coil of burnt rope wrapped around his chest.

It was then that Naruto realized two things: one, he was in very deep shit, and two his ribs were, unsurprisingly, no longer broken. Rapid healing must have been part of the transfer process.

Kate's expression said it all though; utter disbelief coupled with strangled awe.

"What? H-how? You - you! Why the heck aren't you injured, or dead?!"

Naruto's face fell into a twitching manner.

Gee, how thoughtful, first normal human contact he had in what seemed like ages and they wanted to know why he wasn't a basket case yet. Great, just peachy. Was that even a normal question to ask? He couldn't tell anymore. Life was too screwed up anyway for anything to be considered _normal._

"I'm just alive I guess," he said conversationally. "Is everyone okay?"

Kate's mouth clapped shut and her head moved back.

"Yeah, they made it; but what the hell did you think you were doin'? Nearly gave me a heart attack!"

The people behind Kate shook their heads. One, a woman whom Naruto recognized as Janice, stepped forwards.

"Never mind granny worry-wart here, you're obviously fine without our help. She was all upset that you'd be smashed to pieces or somethin'. What I want to know is how you did it. How'd you make the Maelstrom, and who are you?"

Naruto did a double-take.

"I'm sorry," he said, "what did you say about a Mal-strum?"

"A Maelstrom," Janice repeated. "That thing you did with the wind, and the floating rocks. I've never seen anything like it."

Naruto paled. No way was he going tell a bunch of shinobi haters that he was a ninja.

"S-sorry," he said nervously, "can't really say. You can call it a Maelstrom or whatever, but I really - have to be going."

He tried to escape, but two pairs of firm hands placed themselves on his arms; Janice, and a scarred woman rogue.

"The lady asked ye politely, who are ye?" She smiled wolfishly at him, a predator eyeing a particularly choice piece of meat. Naruto blanched considerably and shrank back from the grips.

"Sorry!" he said with quick skittishness, ripping his arms away, "but I've… got to meet with someone in a few minutes. See ya!"

He crouched for a spring, and before they could stop him, Naruto shot upwards, impossibly, to the rim of the ruined roof.

The group watched from below with varying degrees of shock and amazement. He waved, sheathed a sword, and then was gone, leaping away into the brightening dawn.

Kate was partially amused, part - something else, but just the same…

"Yeah, I think so too kid," she said to no one in particular. "We'll be seein' you, one way or another."

That was the end of the longest night, the beginning of a very different kind of day.

---

Hoshi had been freaked out, really freaked out, because climbing up the front steps an hour ago was one beaten, bloody kid.

When she'd seen Arashi climbing up the steps, she'd almost sounded the alarm. Thankfully, or unfortunately (as it could have been seen either way, in Hoshi's opinion), Vivian had a cool head about such things and let the teen inside. He'd thanked her wearily and trodded off, a sorry sight if ever there was one to see.

She didn't think until later, how the heck did he get around to the front?

---

An hour after the fight was over, Naruto came back to the Vista in the guise of Arashi and headed straight for the barracks, which were blessedly still empty.

Arashi flopped into bed. Bed felt good. Bed was nice. Bed had somebody already in it.

"Hiraku? That you?" he mumbled.

"Yeah!" came the quipped reply. "Is Naruto -"

"- Shh! Remember when we met? What'd I say about him?"

"That he's not to be spoken of unless he says otherwise, blah blah blah, is he okay?"

"Sure, minus a little skin and maybe a year or two off the old lifetime. But hey, what's a little thing like mass murder between enemies right?"

"…I don't get it."

"I hope you never do."

"He's got a visitor."

"Eh?"

"Your falcon…it changed shape."

"He let you watch him?"

"He said that since I'm so used to seeing things in different shapes that it shouldn't have been such a shock."

"Sounds like something the bastard would say."

There was a silence.

"Now really Naruto," came a teasing scholarly voice, "is that any way to talk to a young child? You know better than that."

"Hi Mori!" Hiraku chirruped.

"…We need to talk, about what a manipulative bastard you are, and the necessity of secrecy in a den of thieves. You're the one whose always lecturing us on the importance of subtlety. Don't call me by _his _name when I'm in this form. Follow your own rules, Moriya!" Arashi growled scathingly up from where his face was buried in a pillow.

There was a pause.

"How do you know my full name?" Mori asked quietly.

"Mmph, Kyuubi told me. You're a traitor or something according to him, but like I said, we'll talk about all that, later, in the morning."

Arashi got the sense that Mori was smiling, even though the bastard didn't have a face in any general way.

"I take it the merger went well?" he queried.

"Felt that did you?"

"Dear boy, anyone with a decent amount of training felt _that_."

"Great, I'll have ninja all over my ass in two days flat."

"I daresay you will."

"How fun, tell Naruto when he wakes up that I want to kick the crap out of him for doing this to us because I feel like absolute shit right now…"

Arashi promptly ended the conversation and fell asleep, dispelling the henge and revealing Naruto, snoring away.

"Will he be okay?" Hiraku wanted to know.

Mori nodded.

"If there ever were a more resilient young man I would be greatly surprised, he'll be fine."

Mori bent down and whispered something. The last of the Raccoglitori fell away from Naruto's wrists leaving the boy to stir and dream. Casting a henge over the sleeping shinobi to hide his identity Mori went to the door and spoke back into the room as a way of parting.

"He always is."

---


	23. Removeable: Author's Note

Author's note: To all my readers and fans, I owe you an apology. I am truly sorry for making you wait so long for the next installment but I promise that I will have one ready within the next week or so. It was never my intention to halt progress for so long. However, circumstances that were heavily beyond my control have taken place in the last few months that were, suffice it to say, a little more than distressing.

My brother, God bless him, OD'd on some very bad drugs just about the same time that one of our long standing family friends contracted Leukemia. In the long and short of it I was not as graceful as I could have been and it resulted in a change of address for myself and all my possessions. You can guess what I mean by that. The good news however is that our friend passed on without too much difficulty and the funeral wasn't as stressful as we thought it would be. My brother went to rehab and is recovering beautifully, and I, well I'm doing fine living on my own. I'll be attending an art college in the fall for graphic design and visual arts.

I am...very grateful for my friends at this time, and a little sad. One of them is due to get married within the year and another might be well on the way to it. I feel like I'm being left behind...

And then there's all of you, whom I deeply respect for being as patient as you are, should you take the time to read this. It has been my joy, and my pleasure to present to you one of the most extensive works I have ever undertaken. And so, without further ado, I present to you the continuance of Small Gods in all its tiny glory to whomever you are and wherever you be. Thank you for putting up with me.

Sincerely,

-A. L. Anderson


	24. Revelations

**Author's Note: For all intensive purposes this may not be the quickest of chapters but I think Arashi requires some downtime after that last episode. Don't you? Oh and for the record this time around, this is not the last we'll see of Lockehaine or the guilds. Be forwarned, I fully intend to blow the roof off of this thing before the summer is out...it's about all I've got left to do anyhow.**

---

Mori, may he rot in the pits of hell, managed to hide out the next day, and the one after that. Arashi couldn't find hide nor hair of him no matter where he looked. Finally frustrated with the whole thing, he left it alone. Even though wishing that he could blast the bastard six ways from Wednesday, Arashi knew that if he was ever to remain a secret inside the Alta Vista he would have to repair his appearance quickly. Walking around in clothes that Naruto (the stupid idiot), had managed to destroy was making himself into a blaring advertisement. He'd had to borrow an extra set from one of the kitchen runners. He might just have shouted out his true identity on a roof and be done with it. It would save him a lot of the strain and hassle he was receiving these days.

In the days that had followed after the Maison's attack on the Vista, every thief within a ten kilometer radius knew about Maelstrom. Not _the _or _a_ Maelstrom, because Naruto, damn his flamboyancy, had managed to make himself living legend. Technically, after the Maison people went home, _nothing had happened_. No one talks about the underworld in the open, it was a rule that everyone followed. In reality however, the whisper was going around that there was a new guy in town who could do anything. Now every damned organization with a mind to profit was out to either recruit or capture him, and Arashi, rumored to be the _Maelstrom's_ best friend, was being hounded night and day.

And then Arashi had his own fame to worry about. Apparently, decking Dez had earned him a celebrity status among the Vista crew, something that did not please him in the slightest. Luckily, even the most rabid of admiring women were turned off by the fact that they had to look _down_ to talk to him. Arashi was short, and that's the way he liked it.

Now, not only was Naruto quickly becoming an urban myth, his senses had been heightened to the point where it was becoming annoying. Every single little god damned detail was vying to be explored by sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch which was the worst of all. Naruto…Arashi, felt everything; every shift, every pull, every brush with a passing person, air, hot, cold; it was all there to a point almost beyond sane endurance.

Arashi really just wanted to stay in bed for the next week or so, get used to the changes, but if he stayed there people would get suspicious. So, in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the clean-up operation afterwards, he and Hiraku slipped off to the market unseen by the busy workers trying to fix the damage to the Vista's trading grounds.

There wasn't much you could do with shattered rock though.

When he got there, the Downtown Market was a lively place, full of fast paced dealings and gossip. Boy, was there ever gossip. Innkeepers, shop owners, bakers, tanners, toy sellers; everyone was discussing the loud crashes that were heard from the Alta Vista club the other night. Many attributed the noise to storm accidents, others swore that there must be ghosts haunting the place.

Well if there weren't any ghosts up there before, there would be now. Arashi thought it was a shameful waste of talent between the factions. The battle had been utterly pointless in the end. No one won. The Maison lost nearly all of it's fighting force, including Dez and Godo. The Vista lost its trading grounds, which could not be replaced quickly, but repairs would certainly take less time than what the Maison Blanche would have to go through training new recruits.

It was a mess, just a big, selfish, greedy mess, and Arashi hated it, so he ignored it.

He listened to the rumors flying through the air. Some were tame, and others were just plain ludicrous, like: the Alta Vista club is secretly a mining corporation sapping the ore out of the cliff! Arashi thought that one was really dumb. He squashed the temptation to throttle the woman who was spouting the garbage and to continued to pick through the clothes rack he was currently at.

Then the lady said something that really, really grated on his nerves.

"Where are your parents young-un? You're a bit small to be out and about by yourself aren't you?"

Ooooooh, if he had a rope and some needles, what he _wouldn't _do to her she'd beg for!

"I'm not-" he gritted out, "-a kid. I'm seventeen, and for your information I _work _at the Vista, and nothing _abnormal_ is going on." What a big fat lie that was. Hiraku, who was standing next to him, snickered.

"Oh! I'm sorry dear, it's just you being small and all I mistook you for a child!"

Arashi's eyebrow twitched.

She seemed like the motherly gossip queen that he ran into all the time in the market, plump and rosey. It was like they had a conspiracy or something to single him out and pick on his height, every, single, time!

"God, do you ever shut up?" he swore softly.

"What's that dear? I didn't quite catch that."

"I said, how much is this?"

Slapping a forced smile onto his face Arashi held up a black turtleneck tank-top and asked about the price, though never intending to actually _pay_ for the article. What was the use of learning thievery if you didn't steal something? Naruto would've disagreed.

"That'd be five silvers and a copper to you darlin'." She winked, Arashi wanted to gag.

"Too rich for my blood," he said politely, every minute getting more and more annoyed, "but thank you anyhow."

He turned to leave.

"It is? Oh well then, just take it. I've been tryin' to offload that particular piece since last week. And you know what they say about week old merchandise, 'once off the rack, forever in the pack.' I can't have it hanging around collectin' dust so I may as well give it to someone who'll appreciate it. Heaven knows that other side of you needs it."

Arashi was frozen. What the heck was going on?

"And besides," the woman continued in a whisper, "any student of Moriya's has my full support."

Arashi's brownish skin turned and interesting shade of grey.

"Now is there anything else you need?"

Arashi spent some time at the woman's shop in a trancelike state and managed to collect two full sets of garments. For himself there was a brown deer-hide vest and beige linens that served as the pants and under shirt. For Naruto…the loudest pair of orange cargos and combat jacket that he could find, plus the black top. All was given free of charge, and Arashi left the shop with an armload of clothes and a stunned expression on his face.

Now Mori _really_ had some explaining to do.

Hiraku just giggled, all the way back to the Vista.

---

The afternoon was an odd affair. Customers that usually frequented the bar or café turned up in the strangest places. Mr. Avignon , the shipping magnate, was found skulking near the backroom barracks by Hiraku, shortly followed by Arashi back from their _buying _trip.

Arashi asked him politely, clothes in hand, to please head back to the public area. When it looked as if he would refuse Hiraku took the initiative and began to chatter about how it was so easy to get lost in the Alta Vista's halls. Not waiting for a protest, Hiraku gently led the overweight man away who was scowling with distaste. Hiraku winked over his shoulder and prattled on. Arashi could still hear them, or rather, Hiraku blabbing about the rosewood paneling, and how hard it was to find these days.

Honestly, he thought, he'd saved his own behind by picking the kid up where he found him, a fugitive from his father's house. Hiraku was the youngest of two sons. The difficulty was in the nature of his relationship with his brother. When Hiraku's father was younger he had married prematurely to a woman his family did not approve of. Eventually that union ended with the wife's mysterious death, but not before she left behind a baby boy: Hiraku's _real_, but only half, brother. Eventually, Hiraku's father remarried to a more suitable match. Hiraku was the result of the second marriage.

Traditionally, the eldest son inherits but Kentai, Hiraku's older brother, was not eligible by the family's standards. He used to be a lazy lout, firm in his belief that he would some day take on the family fortune. Then the elders called a meeting and he was informed of his status. His parentage was…questionable; therefore, by that standard Hiraku whose blood was certified, would inherit, Kentai would not.

The twenty-five year old man flew into a rage upon hearing this, and since then had employed assassins, mercenaries, and all manner of mischief to rid himself of his younger brother, surreptitiously under the family's scopes. Not even Hiraku's father knew about the plotting. For a man who had never done a day's hard work in his life, Kentai could be insidiously crafty. Hiraku only found out by accident, on his eleventh birthday, that his brother planned to murder him by poisoning his supper plate.

The boy fled. With only the clothes on his back and little else, he ran away to the nearest town and traveled to Konoha to see if he could employ a protective guard somehow, only to find it empty. He'd wandered miserably to the outskirts of Lockehaine.

That was where Arashi had found him, after a skirmish with one of the lower city toughs.

Hungry and tired, Hiraku was a skinny kid with brown scruffy hair and small brown eyes. He told Arashi about his situation. Arashi thought about it for a bit and then came up with a solution. If Hiraku were trained to control just a small bit of his chakra, he could learn to hide himself inside a henge. One of the primary starting points of learning to henge however, is to change into someone you know personally, and the only people Hiraku knew were ones that he couldn't have imitated even if he'd wanted to.

That was when Arashi introduced Naruto.

Naruto explained to the frightened boy that he would protect him as long as there was breath in his body, but only if Hiraku promised never to speak of him without express permission.

Hiraku agreed.

Together they worked to create a henge that was feasable for the young boy. Naruto taught him the basics of chakra control, nothing like the tree walking exercise he'd preformed as a kid himself, but close enough. Afterwards, Hiraku was to change into a serviceable version of Naruto, only younger and sans the black marks on his face. All in all, Hiraku wound up looking somewhat like Naruto had when he'd first started out on his journey a little over a year ago.

After Hiraku proved that he could sustain the henge for over a six hour period Naruto said it was time to head back to the city and abandoned his consciousness to Arashi's mind set, pulling up his own henge, and set out for Lockehaine once more.

The fruits of the decision to help Hiraku were astounding. The boy was smart, very smart. He picked up on things much faster than either Arashi or Naruto combined. He knew how to talk to nobility, and he could easily mingle with the common rabble. Surprisingly, there wasn't a trace of the spoiled brat that Arashi had thought he might turn out to be. As it turned out, Hiraku was desperate to prove that he wasn't a burden of any sort and he more than earned his place at the side of his benefactor.

For instance, his quick thinking when Kate became suspicious of the garments that Naruto wore during the Maison incident, which the same idiot also ruined.

Hiraku, so far as Arashi was concerned, was worth his weight in gold and more. He just hoped that Naruto appreciated that fact. Honestly! The man needed a keeper sometimes to keep his stupidity from killing him. Naruto was a great guy so far as passionate living and friendship was concerned, but he hardly had a lick of common sense, something the Kami gave even the smallest shinobi child.

Arashi thought about all this as he went into the barracks and threw his new belongings onto an unoccupied bunk. It was daytime, and most of the night crew were sleeping. Ever so quietly he slipped into the new clothes he'd got for himself and noticed with satisfaction that they fit well.

Henging clothing was a simple operation but it felt more than odd to feel large and small all at the same time, not to mention tripping on an invisible cuff or hem. He wrinkled his nose in distaste at the larger, louder selection he had for Naruto. He personally hated orange, but the idiot loved the color, and so that is what he got. He'd added the black tank/turtleneck top out of sheer spite. Naruto would have no choice but to wear it. It was the only set of clothes he had beside desert robe rags, stinking bandage wraps, and a filthy, ripped jumpsuit that he kept for sentimental reasons but had long since outgrown. There wasn't much of a choice.

Arashi picked up the gaudy material and brought it over to his own bunk, shoving it under the mattress to save for later use. It was at that moment that a shaking, and disturbed Hiraku came back to the room.

"A-Arashi?" he said tentatively. "There's s-someone in the barroom I..I think you should meet."

Arashi was perplexed.

"Who is it?"

"I -I don't know," Hiraku said fitfully, "But he seemed to recognize me. Maybe he was something to do with…with niisan?"

This was a problem. If there was a person who had something to do with Naruto here in the Vista then chances were they wouldn't be any sort of good news. Arashi would have to make sure.

"Show me where he is," he commanded.

Hiraku nodded and led the way.

Arashi followed, deep in thought. Who could it be? Akatsuki? Someone from Konoha? Suna? There were any number of possibilities. All of them were less than desirable right now. Naruto was trying to stay hidden, and so, in effect, was Arashi.

The trip didn't take long. Hiraku was walking fast and apprehensively, wanting to get it over with.

When they arrived at the bar it was evident right away what the trouble was, because trouble was laughing its head off and shamelessly flirting with the waitress. Everyone in the establishment was staring at the strange man with long, white, quill-like hair, a flashy red coat, and easily the biggest voice in the whole place.

Arashi needed no memory digging from Naruto's past to figure out who this man was.What in seven hells was he doing here?

Ero-sennin extraordinaire, Jiraiya sat at the bar-table on a stool, winking at Vivian who was substituting for Hoshi that day. She looked up at Arashi's entrance and gave a weak smile. Strong minded she might be, but patient she was not.Jiraiya, noticing that he no longer had the undivided attention of his 'lovely companion' turned to see what see was looking at.

"Hello Hiraku," Vivian said wearily, "I see you brought Arashi back with you." Jiraiya lost all interest in Vivian at that point, as soon as the words were out her mouth.

"Arashi?" he said with a conversational voice. "I had a student by that name once, he became a very important man." Jiraiya thumped his chest once to emphasize the point.

Arashi's face remained neutral but his insides were squirming uncomfortably. Only ten seconds into meeting Jiraiya and his stomach was heaving like a nest of worms. What was wrong with him? At least he knew where his name had come from now. Some part of Naruto's memory must have picked it, although it was uncertain where from.

"C'mere kid," he gestured to Arashi, "sit down, and I'll buy you a drink."

"Thank-you."

Arashi wasn't about to say no. This was the first contact he'd had, or Naruto for that matter, with anyone from the village, in…Gods how long _had _it been. He sat down.

They both ordered. Sake for the frog hermit, Kaffeya for Arashi who had taken a liking to the caffenated beverage from Suna. While Vivian went away to get the drinks the old man turned to Arashi with a nice enough tone, but from Naruto's experience he knew that it was anything but innocent.

"So," Jiraiya began, "I was talking to your young friend over there," he gestured to Hiraku, "and he said might have some information on this _Maelstrom _character that's popped up recently. I buy and sell information you see, and I'm always looking for a fresh source. Is there anything you'd like to share?"

The man's face was genial, open, and expectant. It was everything you'd expect from the average dealer.

Arashi knew better. Hiraku would never have said anything about Naruto at all if he could help it.

"Let's cut to the chase sir," he said quietly. "You're not here to buy anything. I know who you're looking for and I'll tell you everything I safely can if you tell me what the hell is going on in the shinobi world right now."

Jiraiya didn't flinch or act any different when he responded. He even smiled at Vivian when she brought the orders.

"Right to the meat of it eh? You're direct alright. Okay kid, you've got yourself a deal. I'll ask my questions first then you ask yours. Fair enough?"

Jiraiya sipped at his sake.

Arashi agreed.

"Fair enough."

Jiraiya belched loudly and all the people who were trying to listen in on his conversation turned away with disgust.

"Sorry about that!" he yelled to the establishment. "Can't hold it in sometimes you know. When you gotta go, you gotta go!"

His wide, toothy grin was the death of any interest that anyone might have had in him. It was simply…too cheesy to look at.

"Alright," he said softly, "where is he?"

"Close, that's all I can say."

"Injured?"

"Safe."

"Virgin?"

"Be serious!"

"Fine, fine. Is he sane?"

"Stupid, but not ready for the asylum yet."

"That's him alright." Jiraiya chuckled to himself. "One part dumb, three parts suicidal bravery." He shook his head.

"Is there anything else?"

"Just the usual questions, like what the blazes was that huge surge in his chakra level two nights ago?"

"Felt that did you?"

"I woke up and fell out of bed." He indicated a slightly purple bump on his forehead.

"He merged with _it_."

"…"

"I'm telling the truth."

"…It isn't possible."

"I don't lie."

"He did it safely?"

"Nobody else was hurt by it if that's what you mean."

"Partially."

"He's trying to adjust. It's a little complicated."

"I can imagine. I didn't think he'd actually be able to do it."

"He didn't either."

There was silence between the two for a little while. The bar's patrons went on with their own conversations. What Jiraiya was thinking was anyone's guess, as he returned to sipping his sake. Arashi however, was far from settled. His thoughts were zipping back and forth between confusion and a growing…something he couldn't identify yet.

"Okay kid," Jiraiya said out of the blue, "what do you want to know?"

Arashi took his time in answering.

"Konoha, what happened to it? The last source I had told me that it was a ghost town, completely destroyed, and yet you're here. Something doesn't fit right."

Jiraiya smiled, and winked.

"That's what you're supposed to think. Y'ever hear that the best place to hide something is right out in the open?"

Arashi thought about it for a moment and then whispered in an awed voice.

"Genjutsu…"

Jiraiya took anther draught from his drink.

"Bingo," he said, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "We've had massive trouble with a certain organization in the past few months. You know who I mean, if _he's _told you as much as I think he has, the trusting fool. Anyhow, it got so bad that I had to come back. They fried the place, right down to the outhouses. Nobody was hurt, which is the strange thing. They only seemed interested in damaging the buildings and structures. The mountain got smashed to bits and we're still trying to fix the Yondaime's nose," he laughed softly, "other than that, if nothing is what you see then we're doing our job right. Attention is the last thing we need right now."

Arashi nodded.

"I understand. But, what about income? Without any missions coming in the economy must be suffering."

"Nah, got that figured too, thanks to one of our newer Jounins. He's damn smart that guy, a regular genius, lazy though. He got it so we send out seed groups every once in a while posing as regular mercenaries. It's rough work but it brings in the cash. Speaking of which, his group should be passing through here any time today."

"Okay then. One last question: did the village lend any help to a place called the Maison Blanche?"

"Who're they?"

"Never mind, if you don't know anything about it then chances are Konoha wasn't involved."

"You worried?"

"Homesick." The word was out of Arashi's mouth before he could stop it. How the heck did he slip-up? Naruto might do it but himself? He had more faith in himself than that.

Jiraiya's expression shifted to one of confusion.

"I mean, I've heard so much about it that it feels like home," Arashi covered quickly. That seemed to satisfy the frog hermit…until the teen was hit with a feverish wave of nausea and doubled over.

"Oi! Kid, you alright? You look kind of…pale," Jiraiya voiced his concern.

"I-I'm okay," Arashi replied shakily. Then, for absolutely no reason all other than it happened, he began freezing and aching all over. It was like running through a bad flu in five minutes; not pleasant.

What the heck was wrong with him?

All the senses that had been enhanced went haywire. Vision brightened until it was glaring in his eyes, then inexplicably went dark again. Hot and cold flashes chased each other all over his skin and his hearing was like listening to a badly tuned radio.

**Hold on**, a rough voice rumbled though Arashi's mind. **You've got a post-merge tremor going through you. It'll take a while to settle down.**

Arashi didn't respond to the voice within. He considered speaking with the Kyuubi to be Naruto's venue, not his.

A hand, Jiraiya's, grasped Arashi's shoulder gently and sent tingling shocks right down his torso. He jumped, and stared wide eyed at the offending thing.

Jiraiya was nonplussed. What the heck was wrong with this kid? A moment ago he was perfectly fine, talking normally. Now this? Shaking and obviously ill. What was - oh…oh dear.

Arashi was looking straight at him.

Jiraiya had only seen eyes like that on one other person.

Turquoise blue with slitted cat-like pupils; eyes like that didn't belong on anyone else except a Jinchuuriki, and even then only one in particular. He resisted the urge to grin and lifted his hand away.

Arashi visibly relaxed as soon as the slight pressure was taken away.

"Go get some rest kid," said Jiraiya sympathetically, "you look like crap."

The red head was about to contest this fact when another wave of nausea washed over him sickeningly.

"Maybe you're right," he said, understatedly. "I'm not exactly feeling one-hundred percent today."

Jiraiya confirmed this with a slight inclination of his head.

"Best thing for a weary body is rest. Take my word for it. The idiots on the field who get their guts spilled the quickest are the ones who think they're too tough to need a proper night's sleep."

Arashi hopped off his stool and hit the floor ungracefully. He stumbled for about a meter and said a faint goodbye to the infamous Ero-sennin. He continued on unsteadily to the hallway, Hiraku trailed after with a very concerned air wanting to know what was wrong with his friend.

Jiraiya stayed at the bar with his elbow propped up and his head resting in his hand, his drink in the other.

Vivian who had been watching most of the time was worried.

"Is Arashi alright?" she asked with some trepidation.

"Sure! Kids these days, they're tough as nails if you train them right, and that one has survived worse."

"How do you know?"

"Just a hunch."

He sipped his sake.

"Nine times out of ten figuring out a guy's angle or reasoning is pure guesswork. He's pretty straightforward this Arashi kid though. I don't need to break in through the back door to know what I need to know about him. Types like that," he sighed, "they think they've got it figured out. Some wear façade personalities to hide themselves. Thing is that they can be read like an open book that way. Kid's that type of guy. Seen it before, and it won't be the last time."

He smiled.

"I'm sure of it."

---

Arashi had long since told Hiraku not to worry about him and go elsewhere. He wanted to be alone right now. A lot of good it was doing him as he lay gasping for breath against a wall. Now breathing was the problem. Every time he went to inhale it was as though every single molecule of oxygen was purposefully staying away from his waiting lungs. It was making him dizzy.

Arashi fumbled for purchase against the rosewood paneling and crept along the wall for another few meters. When this proved to be just as arduous an exercise as hanging upside-down on one of Mori's rope-training days, he stopped to rest.

Good grief, he couldn't be in that bad of shape could he. What had Naruto _done _to this body?

**I already told you kid, it's a post-merge tremor. What'd you expect would happen after being forced through major system changes? That your body would thank you and invite you to tea? You're more clueless than the gaki!**

Arashi ignored the Kyuubi, although the last remark had him stinging.

He was about to move on when the faint sound of raised voices pricked his ears. Both tones were familiar, one more so than the other. He just hoped he was wrong.

The logical thing to do would have been to leave the arguers alone and mind his own business. Arashi wasn't exactly in a logical state of mind. Bits of Naruto were leaking through; curiosity, for one thing, was getting the better of his usually stable judgement.

He followed the harsh sounds, creeping along the wall, sometimes crawling. When he finally reached the source, an open-door room he had a hard time staying quiet because his breathing demanded that he be loud.

Arashi remained silent.

He braced himself against the side of the doorframe and peered inside. What he saw took any breath he might have been trying to squash right out of his lungs.

Cain was hotly arguing with someone. It was a sharp contrast to his usual composed self. But what was strangest about the situation was the person he was arguing with.

Mori stood across from the Vista guild master shouting in even pace with Cain's very vocal vehemence.

"I already told you," the desert hermit explained, "I cannot remove him from the premises until there is a safer location to relocate to!"

"And I have already said," Cain yelled, "that I don't care what kind of blood favor I owe you, whatever he is I cannot afford to keep him here where his presence might endanger _my _crewmembers!"

"Cain, We have already discussed this. You promised to let the boy and his companion stay here until things were settled."

"I did so on the faith that you, above all people, would not bring something harmful to my doorstep. And now you tell me I must keep him here longer? I am a patient man Moriya, but I am not a fool! Take your student elsewhere!"

"Cain, be reasonable. His home is destroyed and the Akatsuki are also after the boy. You and I both know what kinds of tactics **that **rotten bunch employs."

There was a deadly quiet, followed by a deadly silence in which a shuffling occurred.

Cain went over to a desk and pulled out a sheet of normal-seeming paper. A trade agreement by the look of it. He shook it once in front of Mori's eyes.

"Do you see this?" he pointed to a red cloud seal near the bottom.

"My God…" Mori whispered. "Where did you get that?"

"Almost two weeks ago from the desk of Madame Bianca herself."

"The Maison Blanche is having dealings with the Akatsuki?"

"Not only that," Cain said waspishly, "but it says they're looking for an Uzumaki Naruto. Now I've had my people out since the day before yesterday gathering information on him, and do you know what they told me? Reports from as far as the Wave country say he's a ninja of Konoha; and, it gets better, his description matches the one my crew gave of the Maelstrom, of which your Arashi and Hiraku are friend and brother to. Now you tell me that Arashi is _also_ being chased by the very same organization. Guess what kind of conclusion I'm going to draw!"

Cain folded his arms and his eyes flashed in withdrawn anger that simmered and grew with each moment.

"I am sorry," Mori apologized, "Perhaps it was in error that I brought him to the city, and to you, but our options were very limited. I had hoped it would turn out differently old friend, but luck was not on our side this time I'm afraid."

"Luck!" Cain spat. "You've gone senile Moriya, you know as well as I do that there is absolutely no such thing. If there were we'd be up to our eyeballs in four leaf clovers! Since when do you believe in anything like luck? Tell me when you started to forget everything we stand for!"

Mori's gaze steeled over.

"The day I saw a young man try to protect his village by leaving it, the same village that had condemned him his entire life. I brought the boy here because he needed to have decent human contact again, not the badgering of an old man. You may not realize this but he's the most resilient vessel there has ever been. Not even when his home was destroyed did he quit his goals, that is the make we should have been looking for."

Mori halted to breathe, and then continued.

"I've seen smarter men turn around and go insane. Naruto is not a stupid man, nor is he exceptionally bright, but neither is he so stubbornly blinded by logic that his human values suffer for it! You are the one who seems to have forgotten yourself. We never wanted a weapon, we wanted an end to these silly wars, a point that could be rallied around for peace, not torn to shreds. This land was whole before the invention of the shinobi and you know it!"

" 'The shinobi are the tools of war', yes I know the way of it. You needn't remind me."

Cain became very calm.

"Even if he is capable of everything you say he is, and I do respect your judgment, I want him gone. I've settled here Moriya, I like this world without any shinobi interference. The longer he stays here, the more danger my people are in. They may have descended to the underworld, but they are still good men and women, people that society have cast out because their status wasn't quite up to par. They trust me to protect them, and I can't do that with a threat living inside these walls. Your student is that threat. Take him, and leave."

……

Arashi dimly stared at the wall opposite him, having given up on spying in favor of listening in.

Another place that Naruto didn't belong in. It never ended did it? The manipulations, the conspiracy, even among people who you were supposed to trust there was always some kind of lie; and life would always be like that wouldn't it? A rueful half-smile bravely made its way up his face. Well, nothing for it but to comply.

Naruto liked the people of the Vista, Arashi did too. He wasn't about to stick around and let the Akatsuki do whatever the hell they wanted to them. With Yoshi in less than stellar condition and Cain out for blood, Arashi had one less friend and a very nasty enemy---sort of.

He made his decision, and stealthily slunk away to the barracks.

---

"I want to go with you."

Arashi had trouble believing what he was hearing.

"Come again?" he said.

"I want to go with you," Hiraku repeated, " you said someone's got to make sure Naruto stays in line. You can't do that all the time 'cause you're in him."

For an eleven-year-old, Hiraku was irritatingly mature.

"I already said that you can't come!"

"Why not?"

"Because I said so!"

"I'll just follow you."

"I'll make sure you can't."

"Doesn't matter, I know where you're going anyway."

"How-"

"I might be a kid but I'm not deaf," Hiraku said dryly. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed watching Arashi furiously stuffing things in to a well beaten yellow pack.

"I listened when you were talking to that white haired guy. You're going to Konoha!"

Arashi stopped packing for a moment.

"Keep it down!" he whispered urgently. "Yes, I'm going, but I don't want you involved. It's too risky as it is."

Hiraku shrugged

"Doesn't matter to me. I go where you go, no matter what, remember? You promised."

Damn that kid! No child should rightly be able to pull off blackmail like that! This was playing on Arashi/Naruto's honor. It was the common trait that the two shared, both being irrefutably loyal to their word.

"A deal's a deal, you have to take me." Hiraku quipped.

"Fine," Arashi grumbled, "but you're not leaving like that." He indicated Hiraku's henge. "Anyone who even remotely looks like Naruto right now is probably number one on the Maison's shitlist. We have to be careful."

"What about Mori? He's coming too isn't he?"

"Hell no! The bastard can rot for all I care!"

"He's your friend though right?

"Naruto's maybe, not mine, and he agrees with me that we should leave the old man behind."

"How do you know?"

Arashi halted again and gazed upwards as if trying to remember something.

"It's just a feeling really, a sense. He's sick of being used, and frankly, so am I."

Hiraku thought about this for a minute.

"At least leave him a note," he said after a while.

"What?" Arashi wanted to know why.

"A note, so he knows we didn't leave without saying goodbye. My mom always made notes like that, to thank people and stuff. She said it was polite." Hiraku sounded a little sad. Arashi's mind twinged guiltily. In his rush to get to his…Naruto's home, he'd forgotten that Hiraku also had a place he was missing, where he belonged. It had to be tough for him, leaving at such a young age. Hiraku was one extraordinary kid. Arashi sighed. There was no help for it; he'd do as asked.

"Sure kid," he said, "I'll leave one. Just don't expect it to be pretty." Hiraku immediately brightened. I was a great spirit lifter for Arashi whose tremor had finally subsided but left him feeling drained. Arashi finished packing and Hiraku released his henge, leaving him as the scrawny brown haired, eyed, boy that he was. Getting out of the Vista undetected was no easy feat, but they managed.

Arashi left a note that read something like this:

_Dear Bastard, sorry but Naruto can't come to the desk right now. He's too damned ticked to write anything legible, so you've got me to deal with._

_I overheard you and Cain talking. Let's just say it was less than thrilling revelation that followed. _

_Don't call us, we'll call you, and for the time being, stay the hell away from Konoha. We'll come back to you in the desert whenever we're good and ready._

_Thanks for the training: Arashi & Naruto._

_P.S. Try honesty next time. Strangely enough, it works._

---


	25. Amazing Grace

**Author's Note: Although I know this chapter isn't up to my normal standard of writing since I've been out of practice for almost three months I am abnormally proud of it. In light of this I would like to dedicate the chapter to all my readers and reviewers, and for those who have stuck with me all the way, this one's for you.**

---

Arashi took the dry path down the west side of the cliff the Vista was situated on to catch up with his quarry. Hiraku trailed after with dubious stealth. For all his finer points the boy just wasn't good at being sneaky and that was their undoing. Jiraiya had not yet left Lockehaine and Arashi was trying, that being the operative word, to go after him undetected. Jiraiya however, being one of the legendary Sannin, and Hiraku being prone to clumsy mishap at inopportune moments made for a sour mix. Arashi was crouched behind a boulder when Hiraku's footing decided it had had enough fancy tip- toeing for one day and sent him for blaring tumble down the path only to be delivered to the feet of the frog-hermit himself.

"Ohoho, what have we here?" Jiraya planted his hands on his hips and bellowed. "I'm very sorry young man but you see I am very busy today, very busy and I really don't have time to give an autograph but I can give you..." the suspense was deadly, "this custom-made super-fine frog-hermit fan T-shirt!" Jiraya pulled, seemingly out of nowhere, a ridiculously gaudy shirt that probably would have stunned Medusa herself had she chanced to look upon it. Arashi slapped an hand to his forehead. Secrecy was absolutely non existant at this point. Through Naruto's memories Arashi knew that this was Jiraiya's way of announcing that he knew someone had been following him all along. Hiraku just sat there, butt in the dust, completely nonplussed as to the situation.

"All right you old geezard how long have you known we were back here." Arashi stepped out from behind the boulder. Hiding was pointless now. Hiraku kept looking from one man to the other expectantly. Something was about to happen, he was sure of it. Jiraiya wasn't smiling as he put down the shirt and stuffed it back wherever it had come from. "Well?" Arashi asked impatiently. Jiraiya sighed.

"Since the bar."

"I wasn't following you then."

"You were going to, later."

There was silence between them. It was an old game. Each one would wait until the other broke for information or whatever reaction was necessary to the moment. Arashi started it.

"Gods," he laughed ruefully, "I'm that rusty huh?"

"Like a sunken ship."

That was a bitter realization. Arashi...Naruto...whoever it was had focused so much on brute force lately that he'd forgotten one of the more important shinobi skills: subtlety. Not that he'd had much to begin with but still...it was nice to be able to function covertly once in a while.

"Actually," Jiraiya began,"I probably would have already kidnapped and interrogated you by now if it weren't for that little episode you had right after our 'chat'."

Arashi suddenly felt very cold. Was that...fear? No, it was nerves, it had to be. Jiraiya knew something, more than he was telling. The frog hermit was always intensely irritating when he had information that he wouldn't share like the time he-

"-He's in there, isn't he, our number one loudmouth, in you I mean. Your disguise is great, better than I'dve ever expected, but it slipped for a moment, 'told me all I needed to know." Jiraiya watched as his words washed over the teen in a tide of panic.

DAMN THAT NOSEY PERVERT! Why, **why** couldn't this be a normal day?! What the heck was a normal day? What was normal? What-

**Kid, if you don't calm down you're going to trigger another tremor and we both know how pleasant those are.**

_Shut up..._

**Too bad kid. You're on your way to a doozy I can tell you that much, and as your disgusting friends are fond of saying, 'it ain't going to be pretty'.**

_Shut up, shut up, shut UP!_

The conscious line where Naruto's personality ended and Arashi's began was wavering. It danced madly like a leaf at the mercy of the wind, without direction or a seeming end. Arashi was at the losing end of the disruption. If it continued... what would be left of him?

_No..._

Arashi...didn't want to go out that way. Wasn't he real too? A part of Naruto maybe...maybe, but he had his own wants, his own desires. He...he might only be a thought, and idea, but he wanted to live damn it!

Thunk!

The body containing Naruto and Arashi's consiousnesses fell to it's knees and clutched at it's head. The nausea started again, this time accompanied by a pounding headache and a severe chilling of the muscles. It was unable to move. Jiraiya quickly knelt down and tryed as best he could to get a handle on the matter.

"Come on kid!" Jiraiya hoisted the convulsing teen onto his back. "You can't do this here, not now, we'll get you somewhere safe and then we'll talk but for now you need to get out of the open." He began to walk away. Hiraku didn't say a word, or even move from his seat on the ground, but he was worried. Arashi wouldn't let himself come to this in front of just anyone, Hiraku knew that much. He opened his mouth.

"Can I trust you?" he said stifly to Jiraiya as the frog hermit was about to pass.

"Hm?" Jiraya grunted, as if just noticing the small boy for the first time.

"You heard me," the dare to defy was in his voice, "You talked with him at the Vista friendly enough, but I'm not stupid. I might be young but I've learned that just because someone looks and sounds nice doesn't mean they are. I trust Arashi though, and that means if he trusts you for this then you must be okay. I want to know though, right from you, can I trust you with him and...everything?"

Jiraiya halted and stared at the boy. Something about him was familiar... something...Oh! That voice! Well that explained a lot.

"You were the one I first spoke to?"

Hiraku nodded slightly.

"Phew!" Jiraiya heaved a breath of relief. "I was afraid I was going to have to kill you for a second there." Hiraku blanched. Jiraiya laughed. "I'm kidding boy, don't worry, although it really would have been a pain in the royal rear if you'd been anyone else. Yes, I'm trustworthy...to a point. As a matter of fact I trained this idiot here for a good while. It seems he's managed to work himself into another hole again."

"You could say that sir." Hiraku smiled faintly. He wasn't completely sold on this...situation but it would have to do. "I'm not really sure what's wrong with him but he's been on and off like that since...well...since-"

"-I have a rough idea of what happened to him. You can fill me in on the details when we get to a safer and more sound proof area. My ears ain't exactly what they used to be. Your crashing down the cliffside was as bright as day but I'm afraid anyone with a decent amount of skill is going to get on my case today. Lets move." Hiraku nodded and followed after Jiraiya and the delirious form of the Konoha Jinchuuriki draped, back pack and all, like a sack of potatoes across his old teacher's shoulders.

---

The room was dark, too dark, and it was cold as a young man awoke in the blackness. An echoing drip splashed somewhere off in the distance and to the ears of that particular teen it was as the lashing of thunder. He was sore all over and stiff beyond measure. What was most frightening of all however, was that try as he might he could not remember his name.

_Who am I_...sped through his mind, over and over. There was no answer, only the empty echoes of memory. Places, people, things, a promise...

That was right, he made a promise to someone about...someone else...painful, black and red, and that girl. Who was she? She was strong, very strong, but not enough alone. She couldn't bring _that_ person back alone. Alone...like him. That was always him wasn't it? The way they looked at him with those eyes, those cold eyes all the time.

_I wasn't cared for...They, they hated me._

Suddenly there was someone else with him, in a cage. Was that him? That other person. Could he be them? That red hair and hell driving eyes of blue were vaguely familiar.

_**You hated that life didn't you?**_

The person's voice was calm, reassuring. The young man answered it.

_Yes..._ He said without emotion. _I hated everyone then, they made me suffer...they deserved hate._

_**And that's why you made me.**_

_You?...Who are you?_

_**I didn't know who I was till I found this place, and you, here. You made me. You called me Arashi.**_

_I did that?_

_**More or less. I was your guard for all of that, the lonliness, your anger. I stayed until you didn't need me anymore. You grew up, but I was still here...I hated being alone too you know...I wanted out, to live...**_

_I'm sorry..._

_**I know you are, but I still want out...Can you help me?**_

_...I can try...hold on._

With that the young man pushed outwards with his very soul, willing the cage to open and with his hands unconsciously preforming a series of familiar seals. He pushed, and pushed until the bars began to crack. Finally, with a mind searing flash the cage broke into a million pieces leaving him breathless and in wonder as a new being was born, fiery and joyful as the rising of a phoenix...

---

"Gaaah!" Naruto's body shot up from it's prone position on the floor where it had been lying only moments before. Good Gods his head hurt!

**I warned you. Did the human listen? No. No, he had to throw a hissy fit over an identity crisis. Now is probably not the time to say this but since when do I care? But, FOR KAMI'S SAKE KID, GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER! You might be powerful but that does NOT change the fact that your body has just been through one hell of an ordeal. Did you think the merger would go without a price. Hell no kid.**

_Shut up...damn fox._

"I'd listen to him if I were you."

Naruto froze. That was a voice that shouldn't exist outside of him, it just wasn't possible, it...

"I know what you're thinking you jackass, literally. 'Oh, its impossible for him to function without me, I created him.' Blah, blah, blah. I got news for you," Naruto's head turned in the direction of he mocking jeer, "it isn't impossible at all. In fact it feels pretty damn good."

Sitting beside Naruto, perched on a rock with a faintly lit lamp, red haired and cool-as-you-please was the one person that in all the world should not have been able to sit there at all, let alone talk on his own.

"Arashi?" Naruto was stunned. What the hell was going on?! The shorter youth just shook his head and smiled wryly.

"It'd take a lot of explaining and more time than I currently care to spend to make you understand the situation. All you really need to know is that I'm here and it's all your fault. Though I suppose I really should thank you, since I wouldn't have existed in the first place without your help. So thanks in advance, _Dad_."

"What the- Dad?! Oh no-no-no-no-no, I'm nobody's father, no way!"

"Glad to hear it, cause it sounds sour, even to my ears. We call each other by name, deal?"

"Fine by me," Naruto grumbled as he ran his hand through his hair," where are we anyway?"

"In a cave dum dum."

"I figured out _that_ much. I mean which cave, where is this?" Naruto hugged his legs to his chest to try and keep some of his body heat in and rested his cheek on the top of his folded knees. Arashi shuffled down to the ground and grabbed one of the blankets that was lying on the ground and threw it haphazardly over his creator's shoulders.

"Remember that tunnel Hiraku told about that he used to get to Konoha?" Naruto nodded. "Well we're there. Jiraiya and the other's went to go get supplies and stuff, Hiraku's dead asleep. Apparently it takes a long time to get to the village by the underground passages. Man are they going to get a kick when they come back and see you like this!"

"Wait, hold-up rewind and say again; others? What others?" Naruto was more than a little perplexed at the moment. Everything was so...hazy.

"Oh," Arashi said, "You...we I mean, were pretty out of it when the hermit brought us here so you wouldn't know. We joined up with a five man cell group from Konoha on the way here. The old man hasn't said anything yet so the others don't know who you are. Jiraiya's got them all frazzled right down to the brainiac. What was his name? Shika...ru ru, or something like that."

"Shikamaru?"

"That's the one. He nearly tore a chunk out of my hide until the geezard stopped him."

"Gods...it's been ages since I saw anyone else from the village. Who else was here?"

"A medic-nin, one range specialist, some fat guy, and a cute blonde." That took a while for Naruto to register, when it did though...

"Ew! You like _Ino_?!"

"Sure, why not? She's got spunk, though the screeching I could do without."

"Tell me about it," Naruto laughed, "I still get nightmares about her screaming matches with Sakura."

"Ditto."

They looked at each other for a moment. Arashi appeared--well as normal as he could appear, and Naruto certainly looked drained. There were dark bruises of sleep deprivation under the blonde's eyes, and he was still cold too, despite the multiple layers of blankets that hung off him at every odd angle.

"Hmph," Arashi snorted, "I have to hand it to you Naruto, after all that's happened, I'm glad you're not a babbling nutcase."

"Gee, thanks." Naruto's voice was dry of any humour.

"I'm serious about that. We both know anybody else would probably have to be carted off to the funny farm right now."

"You're just saying that because it would mean you would have to be there too."

"True, but life's a heck of a lot more interesting with you sane. Here I got you something while you were asleep. It's a little cold but it should taste fine." Arashi produced a cooled bowl of sodden ramen from behind the rock he'd been sitting on. Naruto's eyes lit up like fireworks.

"THANK YOU!!!" He yelled enthusiastically. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He grabbed the bowl and began to shovel down food as fast as he could stopping only when he was finished and rested the dish gently on his lap, saited and **very** content. "Damn," he said,"if being a parent means that your kids do stuff like this for you then I sure wouldn't mind it." Naruto smiled.

"I thought we agreed on first names only." Arashi bristled with warning.

"I'm _kidding_," Naruto replied. "But really, thank you, that's probably one of the nicest things anyone's done for me."

"Yeah well, you're welcome. Don't go soft just yet though. There's a hard road ahead of you and I get the feeling whatever's at the end isn't going to be very pretty."

"You can say that again," Naruto intoned ruefully. It was a sobering experience, going home, _really_ going home. Suna was great, the Vista was nice, but for Naruto, there could only ever be one Konoha, and he wanted to get there as fast as he possibly could given the current circumstances. Suddenly a clamour of voices bubbled up from the darkness and the flickering amber of lit torches slowly began to inch it's way into the cavern.

"They're coming back," whispered Arashi. "You do the talking, they're your friends. I'm not getting into this." Arashi backed off into the shadows leaving Naruto to deal with the nearing party. Naruto nodded fretfully as his mouth went dry. Normally facing his comrades wouldn't be such a big deal. But now? With the Kyuubi and all it was all different. He felt nervous.

**Don't sweat it Gaki. **The Kyuubi piped up. **It's not as if these are ravenous monsters coming to rend you limb from limb; that's my department, and if they're the moronically goody-goods they probably are then you've got nothing to worry about. Just be careful of those damned mood swings. You've got more coming to you that'll make that last episode seem like a cakewalk, so in all truth Gaki, causing yourself extra grief ain't doing you any favors.**

Naruto didn't even bother trying to dignify the Kyuubi with a response while he struggled to stand. It was then that he felt a rather telling draft of cool air playing about the skin on his back. Confusion smothered his senses for a moment and then it dawned on him.

"Arashi..."

"Hm?"

"I'm not wearing anything am I..."

"Nothing but your necklace."

"Shit!" The explicative flew from Naruto's lips as he hastily wrapped a sheet around his waist. "How did this happen? I know, it was you! Jiraiya's perverted you!" The tall blonde pointed an acusing finger at Arashi, who frankly, looked rather scandalized.

"Me?" Arashi scoffed. "You know, I take it back, you're not sane, because only a complete idiot would assume I undressed you for the sheer pleasure of it. Honestly, what makes you come up with this stuff?! You a closet homosexual or something? You just ended up that way after I, well...I split off from you is the only explanation I can give."

"And you didn't bother to dress me afterwards?!"

"You've got blankets don't you? I wasn't about to start trying to get a naked man into his underwear, you can do that yourself, although I imagine you'll need help with even _that_."

"I knew it! Pervert!"

"Closet Homo!"

And that was how Naruto's old comrades, his teacher, and two seasoned Konoha nin found him; glaring daggers at his own incarnation over a bedsheet and the breaking yawns of Hiraku who had been stirred awake by the ensuing noise.

"Ahem." It was a low cough, no-nonsense and utterly non-threatening. Naruto was terrrified of it as he turned with frozen trepidation to face the smirking visage of Jiraiya and the stunned faces of his friends.

"Eheh," he laughed weakly, "um, hello?"

Chouji's hand had stopped halfway to his mouth and the bag of chips in his hand was on the verge of falling. Shikamaru had his brow quirked in the slight way that he found something interesting to puzzle out, and Ino, Naruto didn't like the look she was quickly developing in those eerie eyes of hers. Frankly, it was creeping him out. He felt like he was being sized up like a side of meat. The other two people bearing the torches were immediately defensive, but relaxed when Jiraiya didn't show any sign of alarm. Hiraku sat up a mite dazedly and watched the scene unfold without a blessed clue as to what was going on. Wisely, he stayed quiet.

"Well this is certainly a surprise," the old frog hermit intoned. "I'd thought it was a stubborn henge I was dealing with, not an actual full body clone. It explains why I couldn't sense your chakra right away. Wish I'd thought of it myself actually, might have saved me a lot of grief with Tsunade when I was younger." Jiraiya began to laugh a blue streak after that, to which Shikamaru's puzzled expression disappeared into realization. He knew who this was now. Chouji was a step behind him.

"Ero-sennin.." Naruto growled. Gods, now was _not_ the time to be making light of the situation! Naruto was about to advance and wallop the smirking bastard when, lo and behold, he felt someone grab his arm; a very female someone that is.

"Hello! My name is Ino!" The kunoichi hung off Naruto's arm before he could do anything. "Don't mind the old man," she glared at Jiraiya who began to laugh even harder, "he's not very polite. Anyway, what's your name? Are you coming back to the village with us?" She said hopefully. Naruto was dumbfounded to say the least. Surely Ino wasn't _that_ air headed that she'd forgotten who he was?

"Ino," he said, both wide eyed and nervously, "why are you asking me stuff like that? It's kind of freaky.."

It was Ino's turn to be scandalized. Her eye twitched. Men didn't usually react to her that way. What was she doing wrong? Chouji began to snicker behind the hand that now covered his mouth for once. Shikamaru was shaking his head and muttering, troublesome.

"What?!" Ino screeched. The boys didn't usually do what they were doing either. Well...Chouji's reaction was normal, but Shikamaru was completely out of character. Shikamaru just didn't snicker. He didn't!

"Well?" Ino's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What is it? What's so funny?" Her glare shifted from one offending male to the next. They all knew something, and they weren't telling her! Finally, Shikamaru sighed and stepped forwards."

"Ino, the man you're currently trying to lead away.." Shikamaru paused. He felt the corner's of his mouth begin to twitch. It really was too funny, even for him not laugh at. He began to chuckle.

"What? What?!" Ino was getting to the eardrum breaking range. Naruto cringed. The sound was really hurting his newly sensitized ears.

"Well, that man is-" Shikamaru paused again, not sure if he should say anything if he wanted a quiet trip home.

"This man is what Shi-ka-ma-ru?" Ino seethed, tapping an impatient foot against the ground.

"That man," Shikamaru decided to tell her anyway (maybe the reaction wouldn't be so bad?), "that man is none other than, Uzumaki, Naruto."

It took Ino a while to register this new information. When it finally hit home her eyes shot wide and she turned her head haltingly to the person who's forearm she was clutching in a death grip.

"Na-ru-to..?" She asked in a small voice.

What could he do? It wasn't as if lying about it would do any good. He inclined his head.

"Um, yes?" It was an innocent enough reply. He couldn't see how it caused the reaction that it did. Ino slowly let go of his arm and stared at her hands.

"I've..I've, I've--" she stuttered. And then the screaming began. "**I've been tainted! EEyagh!!!**" She ran off down the tunnel and huddled around a corner gibbering to herself. "Ew-ew-ew-ew-EW! I didn't know, I didn't! It's not FAIR! He's not supposed to look like-like that! Damn it Shikamaru! Why didn't you tell me?!"

All of the men in residence were rolling their eyes. Naruto in particular didn't know whether to be flattered that for a moment Ino considered him to be worthy of her attention or be extremely insulted that she up and ran the moment she found out who he was.

"I don't look that different do I?" He mumbled grouchily, quickly accumulating a black mood, even though he knew that he did indeed look nothing like he had when he left Konoha. Things were definitely going down-hill today, in more ways than one.

"Well actually Naruto, until Jiraiya-sama showed how little restraint he had in your presence I wasn't sure myself. Your voice has changed for one, and heaven forbid, you're taller." That was Shikamaru, ever calm about the matter, even though Ino's continued diatrabe of gibbered epithets grated on his already thinning patience. "Then again, Jiraiya-sama shows very little restraint with most people, but you're a special case I think."

"Am I supposed to thank you for that?"

"Not really. You can if you want to though."

"No thanks, and um, I hate to ask this because I _know_ she's going to give you hell, but could you go over where Ino is, around the corner. I'd rather get dressed without an audience today."

"Today? You mean you've had one before?"

"Get lost!"

Shikamaru and the rest of the shinobi present left, snickering all the way, to give Naruto some privacy. Hiraku and Arashi just turned around. In his current state Naruto might really even have needed help to get dressed. Such as the case was, he didn't but it was still difficult to squash himself to the new and unfamiliar clothing Arashi provided for him. The orange cargos and jacket weren't too bad but the turtleneck was a deathtrap waiting to happen. The stupid thing hugged his throat too tightly! Blah...He tugged the necklace Tsunade gave him out from under his collar and let it rest against the black material with a huff of final satisfaction. Dressed and ready he called the others back.

"Done!" He shouted and the troupe came tromping back with a silently fuming Ino behind them. Arashi stood back against the wall with a calculating eye. A guise he may have been, but that was over now. He was a foreign agent to these men, and woman. It was likely they viewed him as some sort of threat. Naruto must have been thinking along the same lines when he stepped forwards to introduce his companions.

"Everyone," he began,"these are my friends Arashi and Hiraku, they might be strange but you can trust them. Hiraku's the kid with the brown hair. Arashi's just plain short."

Everyone groaned. Once again Naruto's lack of tact stuck out like a thorn on a rose. "What?" He complained, as usual, not realizing his fault.

"Nevermind," Arashi said impatiently,"we'll rehash the meaning of 'common sense' some other day. Right now we need to get moving as soon as possible. Am I right?"

"Yes," Shikamaru agreed solemnly, "we've actually been here for two hours longer than we should have due to whatever happened to Naruto. I can't expect a full report now because of the time restraints but once we get back to the village I need all the details. It really is a bother, but I'm the leading team Captain here so that puts you under my command for now Naruto."

"Gee, glad to be worthy of your time."

"Naruto..."

"Hai-hai! Coming oh lord and master of boredom! Just let me get my things n'stuff and we'll go."

"You've got ten minutes."

"Fine..."

Naruto stomped towards his yellow pack. Honestly he didn't feel like carting the monstrosity around for another day or so. It was fairly depleted of content due to all of his travels but it would still weigh a ton despite the fact that he could lift it with relative ease. Oh well, nothing he couldn't handle. He was stuffing the loose blankets lying around into the sack when the loose clatter of his sword's scabbard skittered to the ground.

"Oh," he mused, "must've gotten caught up in the sheets." It brought back painful memories of the times he'd forgot to keep it on him under Mori's tuttelage. That alone was enough to make him grimace. He zipped up the front of his jacket and strapped on the sword and baldric belt over and under his left arm. He shifted uncomfortably.

"What's the matter?" Arashi questioned from his position leaning against the wall.

"These clothes," Naruto whined, "They're too tight." Arashi rolled his eyes and snorted disdainfully. You'd think the idiot might show some gratitude. They were clothes after all. Without them he would've had to have gone butt naked all the way back home.

"You'll wear them in eventually." He said impatiently and Naruto let out a disbelieving grunt.

"I sure hope so. I guess I got so used to wearing all that baggy desert stuff that regular clothing just feels weird."

"Either that or you grew again in the last twenty-four hours, because last time I checked, those fit fine."

"Yeah yeah, bite me, are we going or not?"

"You're going to Konoha, I'm going back to the Vista."

Hiraku was jolted wide awake by that statement along with Naruto's cry of surprise.

"When did you decide _that_?"

"Shortly after you woke up. Look, I don't know how it happened, all I know is that I exist now, and I'm not just some shadow clone either. I'll show you." Arashi picked up a sharp rock and jabbed it into his hand before Naruto could stop him. The wound flooded with red. "See? Blood, real blood, _my_ blood. A shadow clone disappears when you injure it even slightly and since I'm still here we can count that out."

"But that doesn't make any sense! You're not even real!"

"I think," Arashi explained slowly, "that I already disproved that little problem. We'll worry about details later when things have died down a bit. Trust me, I want answers as much as you do but right now is not the time. By now the entire guild is in an uproar and Cain's having another shit fit. I can only imagine what the old man is doing after I left him that ultimatum of mine. God, was I even thinking straight? Mori's probably contacting whatever cronies he's got in that place to comb the hillsides for you."

"Good point."

"So while you get a handle on things in Konoha I'll keep my eyes and ears open in the Vista. Kami knows you need all the help you can get anyway. I don't belong in Konoha, and I think I'd feel uncomfortable there. Besides that, I liked living in Lockehaine and I want to make my own life. Thievery or not, it'll be the first choice I get to make as a free being."

"Well when you put it like that am I even allowed to say no?"

"Not a chance."

"Thought not." Naruto ran a tired hand through his hair and offered the other to Arashi.

"What's that for?" Arashi asked.

"Usually when people say goodbye they shake hands or something," Naruto shrugged, "because I sure as hell ain't hugging you."

"Alright _Dad_. Sayonara, and be good to the kid." They shook hands.

"Pft! Whatever, _Son_, man that sounds bad, you know I will so don't worry about it!" Naruto smiled crookedly as Arashi began to walk away to the cave exit. He was almost about to turn the corner when a comet of flying kid barreled into him bearing a wailing Hiraku.

"Promise me you'll visit sometime okay? Promise!" Hiraku sniffled while strangling Arashi's legs. Arashi's mouth quirked up into a half-smile.

"Sure kid, I'll come around once in a while."

"You mean it?" The boy's tone was so pitifully hopeful Arashi couldn't help it. He laughed and ruffled Hiraku's hair.

"Yes! Hiraku, I'll come, now go with Naruto before he leaves and you're stuck in the dark."

"Alright," Hiraku grumbled, "but don't expect me to like it!"

"Well, don't make it sound like a death sentence kid!" Arashi leaned down to whisper in the boy's ear. "He's not all dumb but he needs someone to remind him of that sometimes. Give him a kick or two for me when he needs it."

Naruto stood waiting around and tapping a foot on the ground with his arms folded across his chest. What were those two whispering about anyway? Plotting against him no doubt. Bah!

"You got it boss!" Hiraku straightened up and saluted smartly. He kept the stance until Arashi waved at everyone and jogged off into the darkness. Naruto came to stand behind Hiraku quietly, ignoring the suspicious sparkle in the youngster's eyes.

"You're going to miss him." It was just a fact of the matter. They both knew it.

"Yeah, of course I am," Hiraku said to the floor, "but not as much as _you_ are." Naruto was momentarily confounded by the statement and then realized it to be true. That was Hiraku, sharp as a tack, tough as nails. Yes, Naruto would miss Arashi quite a bit. It was as if a part of him was gone as soon as the other young man left. Who he was or **what** he was made no difference. He'd earned the right to live as a human being, but that didn't change the fact that Naruto knew he was going to be less one friend in the world he was re-entering at long last. Arashi was right, Naruto, really would have to toughen up, especially with the expected grilling he was likely to get from Tsunade, Sakura, and just about every other person who cared about him.

"Yeah, but I'll be fine Hiraku. It's you," he said while tweeking the child's nose, "that I'm worried about. I won't have all the time I had before to spend with you. I know!" He snapped his fingers. "There are some kids in the village around your age. You'll probably get into some trouble with them, but hey, what's being a kid without trouble?"

"Safe?"

"Booooring. Let's get going, Hiraku," he said kindly, and hauled his pack up over his shoulders effortlessly. At least his physical strength wasn't suffering.

Jiraiya, who had finally stopped laughing, sobered and called the pace at a fair clip that was quick enough for the adults but slow enough that Hiraku could accomodate his child's body to it, and they set off. It was a while before Shikamaru who took the lead in tandem with the elderly Sannin whispered his concerns to the frog hermit.

"He's changed again, hasn't he?"

Jiraiya took his time to reply, and when he did it was cryptically final, telling Shikamaru without the exact words that it was a subject best left alone until later.

"He certainly has," Jiraiya clopped along on his wooden sandals, "more than he'll probably ever let us know, but that's Naruto for you. He doesn't like others to worry about him."

Shikamaru agreed wholeheartedly, but it irked him to know that the one person in all of Konoha who loved it the most, who was so freespirited, would have to hide something from his comrades.

...How troublesome.

---

After a day and a half of underground marching Naruto was thouroughly sick of darkness, caves, and anything that had even the slightest relation to the cold. In addition to his overly large back pack he was now carrying Hiraku, who as it turned out, hadn't been able to keep up with the modest pace they'd set. As a result they arrived at the end of the tunnel in record time. Naruto lent a little extra speed to his feet of course. According to Shikamaru, after the Akasuki managed to infiltrate and decimate most of Konoha they left in a hurry but not before blowing a new hole into the ground the size of the grand canyon. That was the chasm Naruto first came across on his initial journey home. The tunnel was constructed afterwards in order to make something more permanent than a bridge to get in and out of the village. The Inuzuka clan was mostly to thank for the construction. Naruto could just imagine Kiba now, gatsuga-ing his way through rock and rubble.

The journey was a learning experience for Naruto. He had to reign in his senses at all times to keep from being overwhelmed by the feedback. What really irked him was that according to the Kyuubi, the worst was yet to come. Oh well, he'd cross that road when he came to it. For now Naruto's nose was being assaulted by a million different scents. To his surprise Naruto found that everything had its own individual smell that it could be iedentified with. Shikamaru for example smelled like cigarettes and something Naruto could only label as regret. It was weird, and he couldn't explain it, but he knew that it was due to an emotion the moment it passed through his nostrils. He had to restrain himself constantly from sniffing the air like Kiba used to. It was frustrating! So much begged to be explored and he couldn't go check it out!

Unbeknownst to himself Naruto's eyes had shifted to slits and a low growling issued from his mouth. He was jogging slightly faster than before, taking the lead, and his companions noticed. Jiraiya in particular was frowning heavily. He wasn't sure what a complete bijuu merging was like considering that he had never seen one, but if Naruto's fluctuating condition was any indication, he had to say that it wasn't an easy transition by any means. He went a little faster until he was stride for stride with his former student.

"Naruto," he muttered, startling the young man out of his reverie, "I know you haven't been well since we picked you up. If it's something dangerous we, I need to know before we reach Konoha. Even if no one was hurt, the damage to the buildings was bad enough to set us back a year in the budget. We don't have anything left for another cleen up. So, is there anything that you should tell me about _that_ thing?"

Naruto continued to jog along in thought while Hiraku rode sleepily atop his shoulders. It wasn't a difficult thing to say really, it was just...he hated being weak. But if the tremors could endanger those around him, he would have to say something. What really set his decision was the fact that he couldn't remember falling asleep in the first place, and waking up to see Arashi on his own really freaked him out. It made him question himself: what had he been doing in the times absent from his memory? Everything was blurry at best, and even then in only bits and pieces. If he'd done something as drastic as make a flesh and blood human being when he was only half conscious then who knew what else he'd done?

"I think Sakura called it shock once..." Naruto said as he ran. "My body needs to recover or something. I feel sick sometimes and others its like I can't move because everything is just so much **there** that I can hardly understand it. It's like...the difference between just seeing a rock and knowing everything about the rock. Do you know what I'm saying? Because I'm not sure even I do, and it's happening to _me_."

"I might have some idea," Jiraiya smirked, "but whats the real problem?"

"The problem is that something far worse is supposed to happen and it could be at any time. I remember feeling that only once before and it really was hell. Luckily I was with someone who could pull me back, but they're not here right now. I don't want them here either, but I don't know if I'm strong enough to stop it, whatever it is."

Jiraiya trotted along with a musing hand put to his chin.

"Well now," he said, "that _is_ a problem."

"Tell me about it."

"You'll have to tell Tsunade as soon as possible. You understand that right?"

"Hai; I'm just not comfortable with the idea of being strapped to a bed or whatever it is she'll do once she finds out."

Jiraiya gave a sympathetic smile and a pat on the back to that. He was all too aware of what Tsunade-hime was capable of, having experienced her wrath one too many times himself.

"Chee-ya, I wish you luck my friend but I certainly wouldn't want to be you. Especially since Sakura is working very closely with her these days."

Naruto hung his head.

"I'm doomed." He said mournfully.

---

Beautiful...that was all Naruto's brain could process as he looked over the forests that sheltered Konoha. After a year of sand, bare rock, and city fumes, Naruto was barely able to contain himself. As always the trees were magnificently ancient and covered in the shaking glory of their foliage. Naruto was very glad he had decided to return in the springtime when everything was so green and new, so full of potential. It really was too much. Standing atop the rise that oversaw it all Naruto shouted to the hills, however unwisely, how happy he was to be there.

"I'm Hoo-ooome!" He cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed towards the smashed faces of the Hokages on the mountain side. Shikamaru, usually patient, slapped a hand to his forehead.

"There goes our cover." He grumbled.

"What did you expect," Ino put her hands on her hips mockingly, "this is _Naruto_, everything he does is loud!"

Chouji just kept on eating.

---

The guardsmen at the gates of Konoha were bored, _really_ bored.There hadn't been a group reporting in days, and even though Sixth Cell was due that day they were several hours late; though knowing that who the Captain of Sixth Cell was, it wasn't surprising. If Shikamaru was late, well--it meant he was going to be very late, as in days. That was why when the Captain of the sixth Konoha cell returned only a few hours after his schedualed arrival time the guards were more than surprised. Shocked, would be the word for it.

Not only was Shikamaru late, tagging along with him was someone completely unknown to the guards. It wasn't until they noticed the rather loud and blazing orange of the man's clothing and the gargantuan yellow back pack that they realized who they were looking at. Strangely enough, the guards were the exact ones that had let a certain shinobi out of the gates a little over a year ago with that same pack.

"Its that?" One said to the other.

"I think it is." The other replied.

"Damn." They said in unison.

"Didn't think he'd make it."

"Why'd you think that?"

"Because," the guard explained, "That sack he's carrying would certainly kill me."

Shikamaru checked in with the guards momentarily while Naruto listened to the exchange from a distance. Now that his senses were clearing up a bit he could listen in on just about everything from whispers to heartbeats. That wasn't to say that he wanted to. Having been forced to hear the loud thumping that came through the walls every night in the Alta Vista was bad enough for him to be put off nosiness for a lifetime. He had a good idea what those sounds might have been...yeee!

The conversation with the guards however made him smile, and also reminded him just how much he was carrying.

"Shikamaru, I'm going to drop this monster off at my apartment," he said refering to the pack. Hiraku was hardly a monster, but he deserved a decent place to rest nonetheless.

"Fine, but report to Tsunade-sama directly afterwards. I'm not getting my own ass toasted because you didn't show up when you're supposed to."

"Will do." Naruto saluted his comrade with a smirk and bounded off. Walking through the streets he surveyed the damage the Akatsuki had caused. It was true that not a single death had occured in Konoha but there just as well could have been considering the mood that hung over the village. It seemed a permanent cloud of depression had been etched into the hearts and minds of the people. Naruto frowned, that wasn't good, that wasn't good at all.

He passed several restoration efforts that were coming along nicely, but the attitude of the workers was grim at best. Why had the Akatsuki done this? It didn't seem to serve any purpose other than to demoralize the people...Of course it depressed them! The making of Konoha was the work of years and much pride. To have all that shot down in flames so easily had to be hurting the villagers a lot.

He stopped to look at one of the projects: the ressurection of the Academy. The tree with his swing on it was miraculously untouched but the school itself looked as if someone had blasted it into kindling. He felt a telling pang when he looked at what used to be the place where he earned his right to be a ninja. This was what the Akatsuki had done, they'd crushed the hopes of an entire people. It wasn't anger he felt then but a deep disgust. Hadn't this village suffered enough? The great wars years ago, the attacks...by Kyuubi, losing the entire Uchiha clan, the premature deaths of all the Hokages. None of it would have happened if it weren't for that one word: power. Power did this in the wrong hands of the wrong people. Naruto wanted, more than anything, to set everything right, but knowing that wasn't possible he did the one thing he could do. He offered to help.

"Hey, you up there!" He shouted to one of the workers on the frame of what had to be the new school. "You guys need some help?"

The sounding of pounding hammers and saws halted abruptly as the group of men and women stopped construction to greet the newcomer. The man who Naruto had spoken to jumped down neatly from the top of the scaffolding followed shortly by his companions. He was elderly, forty, maybe fifty years of age with a patch hiding a missing eye and ripped overalls serving as clothing.

"Who're you? Never seen you around here before," the man said suspiciously. He eyed the young shinobi closely.

"Oh--well," Naruto said sheepishly, "I just got back you see and not many people remember me right now I think-"

"-Wait a second!" The man eyes had widened considerably in fearful recognition. He pointed a shakey finger at Naruto. "It's, it's you! But that's not possible, you're dead!"

Naruto quirked an eyebrow at that. "Dead?" he said, "I'm not dead. Where'd you get an idea like that? I had to go away for a long time but I'm perfectly healthy otherwise."

"I'm sorry sir!" The man saluted Naruto quickly. "It was just, the manner of your leaving left us little choice to believe otherwise. I don't know how you did it but it's an honor to have you back." Then the man did a very strange thing. He sank to the ground and bowed. When the rest of his working crew did not follow suit he growled angrily at them.

"What's the matter with you?" he hissed. "Can't you see who this is?"

The workers mumbled amongst themselves. It took only a few moments for them to notice the resemblance...One by one they fell to their knees, some shaking, others with the suspicious glow of tears in their eyes. This made Naruto **very** uncomfortable. He knew for certain that the villagers hadn't liked him that much to miss him like this when he left. Something was most definitely wrong here.

"Please, don't do that," he said with embarassment, "you're really making me feel akward with all of you down there."

One graying woman was brave enough to get to her feet and shout angrily.

"Where were you then?! Where were you when we needed you, when _this_ happened!? **Yondaime-sama!**"

To Naruto, they were the most hauntingly familiar words he had ever heard, yet he knew that they were extraordinarily out of place.

"M-me,Yon-Yondaime-sama!?!" he said incredulously.

"Yes," said the man he had first spoken to, "we have all had grave need of you Yondaime-sama in these past months. It is unfortunate indeed that your return is now and not then. Sit _down_ Naomi!" The man pulled on the angry woman's hand which she ruthlessly ripped away from his grasp.

"I will **not** sit, Keichii! I have sat and waited too long in my life for some hope, and now that it is here I want to know why it was not here when needed!" Naomi marched up to Naruto who was for the moment frozen still by shock and grabbed him roughly by the collar.

"**Why weren't you here? Damn you! Why?!**" Anger and tears were in her eyes, the product of too many years of disappointment and broken hopes.

"Naomi!" Keichii shouted and stood abruptly, once again taking a hold of her. "Have you taken leave of your senses? Let go of the Yondaime!"

"NO!" she responded bitterly and fought against the pulling, "not until I get some answers! He had no right to leave! No right at all!" She shook her head violently and wept through the sour memories invading her thoughts.

So that was what it was all about thought Naruto. He closed his eyes against the scene, it was...too sad to look at. These people--they never really got a break did they? They were so desparate for some form of redemption that they'd mistaken him for the most beloved and powerful Hokage, the Yondaime who had died to seal the Kyuubi within his infant body. Naruto felt a deep seated wave of sadness saturate his being. He would have to break the hearts of Konoha...again. They couldn't believe in something that wasn't real, could never be real.

The woman, Naomi was still raging against Keichii when Naruto opened his eyes.

"Please..." the soft word issued from his mouth and the struggle died down as the combatants stopped to listen, "forgive me." He preformed a slow series of seals and held up a single hand to Naomi's distressed face. Her gaze was immediatly drawn and caught at the center of his palm. After a while her body went limp and her vision became relaxed. Keichii caught her.

"What?-" began the man. Naruto halted him.

"It's just a relaxation jutsu," he explained, "harmless and she'll wake up completely fine." Naruto waited for Keichii to lower Naomi to the ground before sighing in relief, and remorse.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"What's there to be sorry for sir," Keichii laughed slightly. "She just overreacted that's all, seeing you again, and you gave her some peace. We're mighty thankful for that Yondaime-sama, sir." A round of muttered agreement went through the small crowd of workers, now on their feet. Naruto gave them a lopsided smile, more out of reassurance to himself that what he was about to do was the right thing than happiness.

"That's just it," he said gently, "I'm...not your Yondaime, however much I wish I could be, I'm not."

He was met with deathly silence. The stunned stares of the workers offered him no encouragement to continue, but he did.

"I'm sorry I'm not him, but it's clear to me that you've all been hanging on to his memory for far too long. I don't know how I ended up looking like that man, but if I were him I would probably be disappointed in you guys. It's not that you aren't hard workers, because I can see that you are, but you have so little faith in your own abilities that it's painful to look at," Naruto shut his eyes tightly again. "I _can't_ look at it. In fact I'm asshamed to think that people in my own village can think that way. If you really wanted to honor the memory of the Yondaime you'd stand up for yourselves." Naruto's eyes snapped open. "I did, I found my own way and I've never looked back. In fact it was the very people of this village that helped me realize that I wasn't so helpless. I have to thank you for that. If it wasn't for you then I would never have found out who I was." Naruto bowed half-way to them all before turning on his heels and walking away slowly.

It took a minute before the man Keichii and his group managed to pull themselves out of their surprised stupor with some disappointment but feeling strangely renewed. They should have known it was too good to be true. The man leaving them now was certainly too young to be the Yondaime, but the resemblance was uncanny! Keichii yelled after the young shinobi's retreating back.

"If you're not the Yondaime man, then who are you?" The call reverberated off the smashed stonework of the villages wreakage and surrounded Naruto on all sides. He stopped, and looked over his shoulder with a grin.

"UZUMAKI, NARUTO!" He shouted back and then continued on his way.

Whatever the workers had been expecting it wasn't that. Keichii was the most stupified of all, and it struck him so funny that he began to laugh.

"If that don't beat all!" he howled with mirth. "If that ain't one for the books I don't know what is! So that's the little trouble maker! All grown up too. Hells bells! And here I thought he was..Kami but he does look like him."

The rest of the group was either dismayed or realizing the irony with just as much humor. The demon-child was indeed much like the fourth Hokage; so much so that several others commented on it with a wide eyed sense of wonder.

"Well I don't care what that man says he is or isn't," one scuffily bearded worker exclaimed, "looking like that he's either got to be a changeling or the Yondaime reincarnate! My money's on the latter. Damn boy even sounds the same."

"He does indeed," Keichii mused, "and he's right about us. We've been living in a dream for far too long. I have...So have at it boys! Let's get this school raised!" He was met with the raised fists of his crew in the sign of victory and a cry of triumph. They set back to work while Naomi was removed to a more comfortable location. Perhaps this time around they would make a village worthy of its pride, and of its people. Keichii had no doubts they would; just by the words of the last Jinchuuriki, they most certainly would.


	26. Homecoming

**Author's Note: I graduated! That's it, it's official, final, signed, sealed, and over with. High school is now completely passed and I have a whole new future ahead of me. Now on to the main attraction. For many of you who have been wondering why 'Arashi' was named the way he was this chapter may or may not clear the air for you. All in all I am slightly more proud of it than the last one. Enjoy!**

---

What--a--mess, were the only words that managed to cross Naruto's dumbstruck thoughts as he surveyed the damage done to his apartment. The wall that faced the morning sun was partially blown away and no one had even bothered to repair it unlike the rest of the building. It figured that the villagers wouldn't touch anything that belonged to him with a ten foot pole, not even a wall. Still, it was his home, what was left of it anyway. He'd make the best of it. Although, there was not much to make the best of.

There were piles of old and clearly decaying clothes that certainly hadn't been washed before Naruto left. He pinched and picked up one filthy sock, cringing. His nose, now being as sensitive as it was, stung with the stench of year-old sweat and mildew. It was so putridly disgusting, as was the rest of the heap, that Naruto found himself entertaining the most pleasurable idea of burning it all. He flicked the sock into the mess with the rest of it's brothers and sisters.

The rest of the small enclosure was ruined. A stack of scrolls was knocked over in the western corner. The single desk and its lamp was split in two and the empty, rotted instant ramen cups that had adorned its stained surface were scattered in all corners of the room. Cobwebs, rot and bits of cracked plaster were everywhere covered in a thick layer of dust like a salad of chaos. The bed was caved in from a section of the wall that had fallen on it. The only thing that had remained fairly untouched was a poster of Konoha's sigil and even that was ripped at the edges.

What a mess.

Naruto sighed and carefully slipped his back pack off and lowered it to the ground. Hiraku, by some freakish turn of luck, was still happily snoring away on his shoulders. Naruto had been sure all the commotion he had caused back at the restoration efforts had woken the child, but apparently it had not. Naruto lifted the skinny boy off his frame and gently placed him next to the pack so that it might serve as a temporary pillow.

Naruto then walked over to the derelict bed that crouched forlornly in the corner. Like so many things he owned, he had gotten it second hand as a gift or from the orphanage charity. Hardly anything he had was bought because the shop owners of Konoha had been unwilling to sell him anything when he was younger. His money had been as good as anyone elses, so he hadn't understood why. And then he was told...

_You are a demon Uzumaki Naruto, you are not wanted in this world..._

What a load of crap. Hell, he was Uzumaki Naruto alright; but not wanted? Ha!

Naruto snorted and looked at the bed again. The slab of wood and concrete that had so unceremoniously decided to use the matress as a nest was very large. For a normal man it would be impossible to lift on his own. Naruto peered over his shoulder and then through the gash in the wall. No one was watching. He squatted down and placed both hands under the gigantic piece of debris and raised it over his head effortlessly. Plaster and flakes of rusted metal rained down in a soft hiss. It was then that he noticed the doll.

It was just a straw stuffed pair of pants and a shirt really. It was amazing that it was still hanging from its hook, ripped halfway out of the ceiling, but it was there, twirling like some haunted marionette. It was Naruto's old punching bag, made specifically by the injured pride of his twelve-year-old self to alleviate his frustration. That frustration being of course due to the Uchiha Sasuke of which the dummy was a poor rendition and mockingly made to look weak. Naruto smirked at it and shook his head. He walked over and carefully set the severed section of wall next to the dummy. The thing swung lazily as he poked at it. He smirked again.

"Nice to see you again Sasuke." he said softly to the dummy with no small amount of sarcasm. "I'm glad to see you let nothing happen to the place while I was away."

There was silence.

The dummy twisted on its string, and had Naruto not then taken it down, it would have done so for a very long time. Naruto gazed at the relic of his past with some regret. The days when he had punched the stuffing out of the thing seemed a century away. So much had happened...so little had actually been done that it hurt him to think about it. Nothing had really changed from five years ago. Sasuke was still obsessed with killing his brother. Naruto was still trying to find a way to bring Sasuke back _without_ killing him... Naruto dropped the dummy.

Walking back to the broken and rather dirty bed he brushed off the matress and dragged it out of its ruined frame to rest on the floor. Luckily it was that kind of matress that was packed with foam instead of springs. The springs were on the frame itself, but rusted and useless anyway. He sneezed a bit from the dust particles flying up his nose at every angle. What he did not notice was that the sneeze was barely a human sound and more like the snuff of a dog after recognizing a friend. He went on to his pack and knelt down. As he pulled some of the bankets out that covered him in the cave, Naruto looked over Hiraku's sleeping form.

In all honesty, the kid was the eighth wonder of the world. Stripped from his home whithout a shred of survival training, Hiraku hardly ever complained and when he did it was because Naruto had once again put his foot in his mouth. There was no denying that the child was a work of art in parenting. His parents, whoever they must have been, were probably missing the little mite terribly, Naruto already knew he would as soon as he found a safe way to deliver the kid back home. As much as he appreciated Hiraku's presence, and he did, it wasn't safe for an untrained child in a shinobi village; especially if it was found he was under the care of the _evil _Kyuubi vessel.

Naruto sighed again. It seemed he did a lot of that lately. He shook the blankets out and spread them over the old matress. It wasn't the most ideal of situations but it would have to do for now. Ironically, he thought as he gently placed Hiraku onto the makeshift bed and covered him with a sheet, his apartment was probably the safest place for anyone right now, seeing as how the place was untouched by human hands except for distruction. Naruto doubted that Hiraku would ever be disturbed. That done Naruto put his hands on his hips and grumbled. It was going to take a lot of work to straighten everything out...He wondered if he should do that now?

Eh...

If he put off going to see Tsunade-baba any longer he was likely to find himself dangling from the flagpole of the Hokage tower, minus a rib or two. He shuddered visibly. Kami, why did there have to be such angry women? Why?

---

"Shizune!!!" the rabid cry galloped out of the Godaime Hokage's office and smashed into her secretary's ears.

"Hai! Tsunade-sama!" Shizune skittered quickly into the room, purple robes flying and hands plastered to her sides in trepidation. The Hokage was scary!

"Shizune," Tsunade said more softly, "do you know what this is?" Tsunade held up a white clay bottle between her thumb and index finger, shaking it lightly.

"H-hai, Tsunade-sama." Shizune's heart filled with dred. "It's a sake bottle."

"And why do you suppose," Tsunade turned the bottle upside down, "that it is empty?"

"Because someone drank it?" Shizune managed a whimpered reply.

"No, no, my dear Shizune. You see this comes from my own private stash." Tsunade began to frown. "And as yet, I had not opened _this_ particular one. You see," she showed the base of the bottle to her secretary, "I mark the bottles according to the day I will drink them. This is _Friday's_ bottle, and this is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday...Oh! And another whole week is completely empty! Clearly _someone_ has emptied them." Tsunade said with mock surprise as she stacked one bottle after another on her desk. "Now tell me Shizune," the Hokage continued with a feral grin, "since only two people know about this stash and only one other person than myself has the key to this desk, who that someone might be?"

"Me..." Shizune said sullenly.

"Correct!" The Hokage shouted with wicked glee. "You win first prize Shizune! A weeks paid work on refiling the old ANBU reports! Happy paper shunting!" She waved cheerfully as Shizune stomped out of the room grumbling explicit language under her breath. The secretary was so involved in her own personal grudging that she failed to notice the tall blonde shinobi that hastily stuck himself to the hall side to avoid her.

"Whew!" Naruto exclaimed as soon as she passed out of sight. "She's in a bad mood! And if Shizune's in a bad mood that can only mean..." His face took on a pained look. "Tsunade's feeling vindictive today. Aw man! Why is it always me that picks the crappy day to report?" He peeked around the corner of the office door to see the Hokage scowling murderously at a pile of paperwork. Naruto's head snapped back. "Why me?" he whimpered.

It is indeed a very amazing thing that women hold so much power over men. Naruto was singularily the strongest shinobi within a hundred miles of the village and yet facing Tsunade gave him the chills. There was a reason she was the Godaime Hokage, and it wasn't just because she could split a man in half with her pinky finger, oh no. Tsunade was also Hokage because of her strong but lackluster leadership, that frankly scared the shit out of her subordinates when she was riled. Terrifying, was the word naruto frequently used to describe her in his head; along with old hag, granny, and witch. She loved him anyway.

Naruto inched slowly towards the door and raised a fist to knock gingerly on the frame. Tsunade's head did not raise from the stack on her desk.

"Come in," she said,"this had better be good."

"Well," Naruto spoke candidly as he entered the room, "whether it's good or not is entirely up to you, Tsunade-sama."

Naruto had been polite enough with his words considering that this was a day he had best not piss off the Hokage, which is why he did not understand her reaction. Tsunade's blonde, pigtailed head flew up in surprise and her mouth dropped open.

"Kazama-san?!" she shouted. At approximately the same moment a loud, fast thumping carreened down the hallway carrying Shizune with it. She screeched to a halt in front of the Hokage's desk, completely bypassing Naruto.

"Tsunade-sama!" the secretary panicked, "There's a wild rumor in the village! Someone said they spotted the Yondaime walking down the street and now the entire place is in an uproar!"

Tsunade simply stared at Naruto, completely dazed by the scene before her. It was only a few seconds after Shizune had made her untimely entrance that an ANBU guardsman puffed into existance, kneeling on the floor.

"Godaime," he said sternly, "we have reports that a Yondaime look-alike has entered the building. We think this may be an infiltration operation by an opposing village. We require orders as we begin lock-down."

No one except Tsunade was looking at Naruto. Naruto himself was finally understanding the situation and begining to get very tired of it, as was the Hokage it seemed when her dazed expression melted into something more serious.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune grabbed the woman's arm and tried to drag her to the window.

"Godaime..." The ANBU prompted.

"**QUIET!**" Tsunade bellowed lengthily until Shizune had backed off and Naruto clapped his hands over his ears to drive the ringing off. The Hokage stomped to the window and yanked open the blinds. Below, the people of Konoha were shouting en-mass with ear-smashing enthusiasm. When Tsunade stepped up to the window they went berserk and demanded in loud, screechy voices to see the Yondaime. Tsunade immediatly slammed the blind shut again and then stomped over to the young man that was standing at the head of her office, his hands lowering as she approached.

"You!" she poked the youth sharply in the chest, not noticing that he barely budged. "Explain yourself!"

Naruto was taken aback for a moment and then laughed nervously.

"You know, this is the third time this week someone I know doesn't recognize me." He scratched his head loosely. "From Ino I probably should have expected it, but from you Baa-chan? I'm a little disappointed." Naruto grinned sideways.

"Baa...chan?" Tsunade said suspiciously. She eyed the youth before her. Yes he definitely looked like the Yondaime, but there were subtle differences; for example: the eyes were a tad wider, more mischief in them. The jaw wasn't as angular, more rounded. The face had...wait a moment. The face had three fine, razor thin black lines crossing each cheek, like a pair of claws had swiped their way from the back of the ears to the top of the cheekbones. It was then that the Godaime Hokage realized who was standing in front of her, although she could scarcely believe her eyes.

"It's you.." she said, stunned for a moment. Then finally-"It's you! You damn brat! You scared me!"

"_I_ scared you?" Naruto said incredulously. "_You_ scared me! What the heck is going on? The moment I walk into this place the whole damned thing goes up in smoke. It's like no one even remembers that I exist apart from the fact that my apartment has seen the loving care of neglect."

"It's been a year you idiot! You were due to hit puberty sometime! Even I barely recognized you. And what do you mean your apartment is untouched? I specifically sent a team to clean it up last week."

Naruto turned up his head in mock disgust.

"Ew! Baa-chan. Don't talk about things like that! It's embarassing!" His face wrinkled in amusement. "Especially in front of the ANBU." He whispered.

"What? The apartment or puberty?" Tsunade said, not recognizing the game. "Get used to it Naruto! You're seventeen for Kami's sake!"

Naruto just snickered that he'd been able to get her to say the word again.

"I'm joking!" He said happily. It was his childish nature resurfacing again in the village that was his home. Chaos or not, it was good to be back to bugging Tsunade, playing pranks on his fellow shinobi, eating at Ichiraku Ramen as he was soon to do (if it was still standing), everything that Konoha was to him. What he had really missed however, was completely destroyed. The Hokage mountain was a landslide of rubble and ruin that had flattened several prominant buildings in it's downfall. He vowed that it would be the second thing he repaired if they let him work on it.

In the meantime the ANBU had left, seeing that there was no real emergency. Shizune was dumbfounded, _this_ was Naruto? That tall blonde her Hokage was speaking to...Naruto? It couldn't be possible! Naruto was short, stocky, foul tempered and most certainly not capable of carrying on a conversation as he was doing. Tsunade however, was seldom wrong when it came to the people she cared about, and he was one of those. Shizune knew, Tsunade could not be mistaken, this _had _to be Naruto. It was just so--so unreal! And, it was as much to her surprise as the shinobi himself when Tsunade smiled brilliantly and swooped the teen up in a bone crushing hug.

"I missed you, you brat! So stop pulling stunts like that!" Tsunade was clearly happy that Naruto had arrived back home more or less in one piece. Naruto however was turning a new shade of the color red, not from embarassment, but from lackof oxygen. Even a mighty jinchuuriki needs to breathe.

"Tsunade," he rasped hoarsely, "I need my lungs back--Sometime this century!" He wriggled where his hands and arms were pinned to his sides. Despite the immense strength he knew he had, Naruto wasn't able to shake Tsunade off. What was it about women? One hug and you were either fighting for your life or theirs, whichever came first.

"Oops, sorry Naruto," she said, still grinning while she released him, "but I am certainly glad to have you here."

"Heh, yes," he gasped, bent with hands on knees, "I can feel that. Whew!" He wiped a but of sweat that had formed off his brow. Then Tsunade remembered something she had felt when she hugged him, a long, thin lump along his back.

"Naruto," she said inquisitively, "since when do you use a sword?"

"Oh that!" He exclaimed and looked over his shoulder. "Just something I picked up while I was away. Not really sure how to use it." He lied, though unsure of why he had. "Anyhow, what's new here other than domestic disturbance and barking dogs?"

Tsunade flinched slightly. Naruto still hadn't managed to get over his stumbling block of tactless statements.

"Well," she said plainly while returning to her desk, and the empty sake bottles, "there have been a lot of reports coming in on the status of the surrounding villages and they aren't good." Tsunade sat with her hands folded in front as was customary for her when she was concerned. Naruto frowned.

"How bad?" he asked and leaned against the wall.

"Akatsuki, it appears, has made it's mark on more than one hidden village." She stared pointedly over her clasped hands. "Suna sent a carrier near the end of fall asking for back up which at the time we were unable to provide. We were spread too thin at the time hunting the Akatsuki criminals. A common mistake but unavoidable."

Naruto held his breath. Suna? Gaara was having trouble with those damned black-robed bastards again? But they already had his bijuu! What else did they need?

"Fortunately the Kazekage it seems has been taking our advice and had a reserve taskforce trained specifically for emergencies. Although they were not as useful as hoped, they certainly stemmed the damage caused. I was also told," she smirked, "that the Kazekage was very impressive in battle. The Akatsuki followed the same modus operandi as here and with many other villages too. They managed to slip away however. Rock, Mist, and Cloud-nin have been found scattered throughout the countries with this story, 'the buildings were destroyed but the people left alone.' It is strange, very strange that the Akatsuki should so easily destroy the villages and leave the inhabitants untouched. What do you think Naruto."

Tsunade watched Naruto. She had expected him to respond right away, so it was rather odd to her when he did not. He just leaned there, chin in hand and scowling at the floor. It was most unlike him. She waited, curious to see what his response would be.

"I don't think," he began after a time, "that it's strange at all."

That, Tsunade had not been expecting.

"Oh?" she said, "Is there something you know that we don't?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Only what I see with my eyes." he said tapping his forehead. "There's a whole village of people out there that have mistaken me for their lost Hokage even though they know he's dead. It's just that Baa-chan, mass hysteria or whatever you wanna call it, nuts in a bunch. They're scared and they'll believe anything right now. I would if I were them. The same thing has to be happening in other villages. They're all scared shitless that someone could do this so damned easily. Now it's just a question of who's going to snap first. Us or them? It definitely won't be us, and most probably not Suna, but the other villages have no idea what Akatsuki is or why they're doing what they're doing. Soon someone will probably blame us, or the other guy and then it's all going to go boom from there."

Tsunade was stunned, absolutely stunned.

"Well that's a first," she said strangely. It certainly sounded strange to Naruto's ears.

"What?" He shouted. "I can think too you know!"

Tsunade held up her hands in defense.

"I wasn't questioning your ability," she snickered, "but it's just that I'm impressed despite myself that you came to that conclusion. I'm honestly considering it as a possibility, it sounds much more likely than the crap my advisors have been spouting since day one."

"You really mean that?" He asked, surprised.

"Yes I do," Tsunade smiled, "in fact I am wondering if you would care to give me your input on some other matters once you give me your report, your _full_ report on your time away. Leave nothing important out, and I expect it on my desk by tommorow morning." She turned to her paperwork but was interrupted by a cold feeling. She looked up.

Naruto was scowling.

"About that," he said darkly, "there are some _things_ better left off paper. I really don't want to do this but I need you, the Ero-sennin, Kakashi-sensei, and probably Iruka to arrange some sort of time and place where we can meet. Jiraiya already has some of the details but what I have to say I only want to have to say once and I'd rather do it where it's safe."

Tsunade sensed even without the words that this was of earthshattering importance to her protege and nodded.

"I will summon Kakashi immediately. He's directing work on the new colloseum." She withdrew a scroll from one of her many desk drawers and threw it at the floor where it unraveled neatly. In seconds a puff of smoke went up and dissipated revealing the copy-ninja himself.

"Oh? Hokage-sama, to what do I owe the pleasure of this...impromtu meeting? I thought I was doing fine at the construction site." Kakashi's one visible eye traveled lazily over her desk, and the sake bottles. "Having a party?" He stuffed his hands into his pockets as Tsunade began to fume.

"I, am, not in the mood for your tomfoolery Hatake!" She thundered to her feet, slamming her palms down on the desk and then quieted as Kakashi placed his hands up in defence and apologized.

"Gomen, gomen Tsunade. I was simply observing your collection. Impressive, as always."

"Hmph!" Tsunade snorted and then grinned viciously. If she could mistake Naruto for _him_ then surely Kakashi...Oh, he most certainly would! "Hatake Kakashi, there is someone here who would like to have your attention if you would be so kind."

"Oh?" Kakashi's eyebrow raised. "Who?" He asked.

"Behind you." Tsunade pointed brusquely. Kakashi turned around and his eye bulged out of its socket. Tsunade had only planned to surprise Kakashi with Naruto's appearance. She did not plan on what happened next.

"Arashi-" Kakashi began and was cut off by Naruto who answered,

"-Yes?"

It was unfortunate that at that moment Naruto was still used to hearing that name being called in reference to himself and responded out of reflex. It was also unfortunate that Arashi was the name of the Yondaime Hokage. It was also unfortunate that the Yondaime had been Kakashi's mentor and idol until the day he died. It was then very unfortunate that Kakashi did a very un-kakashi-like thing and fainted with the word 'sensei' on his lips. Tsunade watched in horror as the jounin's eye rolled back in his head and he keeled over, convulsing onto the floor.

"Shit!" she swore. "Shit shit shit!" She felt for a pulse and checked his breathing. Both were erratic. "This is not good! Naruto! Contact the hospital unit on the bottom floor of this building immediately!"

"What! He just fainted there's no nee-"

"**I said now!** Tell them it's pre-cardiac arrest syndrom. **Go!**"

Naruto needed no more telling and flew out of the office as fast as his feet could take him. He was at the bottom floor in thirty seconds, not even breathing heavily. The place was thick with medical personnel that were treating daily cuts and bruises caused by the falling debris in the village. As soon as he entered a ripple of shock spread throughout the room. He ignored it and shouted.

"Somebody quickly! The Hokage needs help! Kakashi in pre-car-whatever-ack arrest! Office! Now!"

A team of medic-nin immediatly brushed past him and raced up the stairs without comment. They knew their job and Naruto's was done. He flopped down on the stairway and felt a flood of energy rush out of him. His own heart was pounding wildly in fear. What had happened to Kakashi? He sat there feeling absolutely drained, head hanging, until a small but familiar voice reached his ears.

"Niisan?" Naruto's head felt too heavy to lift. He knew who that was though.

"Hello Hiraku," he said blandly. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, better than you did I think. You look awful. What happened?"

"I just had a very scary experience."

The rest of the room was listening in but Naruto could care less as Hiraku took a seat beside him.

"One of my oldest friends just got hurt real bad. I don't know how it happened, but he's up there in some sort of condition that I can't even pronounce. I did what I could, but now that I can't do anything else so I'm feeling kind of useless. How'd you find me anyway?"

"Well, when I woke up and you weren't there I remembered Arashi always saying to follow the trail of disruption and I'd find you so..."

"You just looked for the point of most chaos and I'm at the center of it."

"Something like that, yeah."

They both laughed, Naruto uneasily.

"It figures, we are basically the same person if you think about it."

"Yeah, but he's more serious than you."

"And shorter."

There was a period of silence between them in which the staff of the make-shift clinic busied themselves with other things. Naruto stared at an ant that was frantically scuttling its way across the floor while Hiraku swung his scrawny legs back and forth. Then, being the child he was, Hiraku's overwhelming dam of questions burst and he was talking a mile a minute.

"How come you were so scared? You didn't get hurt too did you? Where there enemy ninjas? Is your friend a ninja and what's a Hokage? What do they-"

"Whoa, whoa kid! Slow down! I can only answer so much before my head begins to spin." Naruto said pleasantly. "Okay," he continued, "first and second question. I didn't get hurt. As you can see, all limbs are attached." he wiggled his fingers in front of Hiraku's eyes and the child giggled. "And why I was scared, well, I guess you could say it's more like worry. You see, unlike you and most people I didn't grow up with a lot of family, in fact I don't even know who my parents were. I'm not complaining about it, I've never had a reason to but my friend, Kakashi, is one of the first people who ever accepted me as I am, not for what I could be."

"What could you be?"

"A monster!" Naruto grinned suddenly and began a tickle fight with Hiraku and the child shrieked with laughter. "A terrible monster with fangs and claws to catch you with!" Naruto mercilessly dug into the boy's ribs and Hiraku did his best through the ordeal to hold him off.

"N-no fair!" he gasped. "You're bigger than me! Meanie!" One of Hiraku's flailing feet shot up and clipped Naruto in the jaw.

"Ow!" the jinchuuriki exclaimed and released his hold on his young charge. "You've got one heck of a kick kid. I might even get a bruise from this." He smirked and pointed to the red spot on his skin.

"Yeah well..." Hiraku chirruped. "You deserved it, picking on helpless little child like me."

"Helpless my ass." Naruto mumbled while rubbing the sore spot on his jaw. The rest of the people in the room were trying very hard to hide smiles and muffled snickers. All of these Naruto saw and heard but paid no mind. It was good for them to have some comic relief anyway. Sometimes he felt as if all the humour in the world had been sucked out of people and he was the only one left who remembered how to laugh.

"Anyhow," Hiraku started up again, "you still haven't answered my other questions."

"Oh, sorry, I forgot them. What was it you wanted to know?"

"Is your friend a ninja?"

"Yep," Naruto was proud, "and a damn good one too. He's just getting old and shocks easy."

"Ookay," Hiraku said dubiously, "then what's a Hokage, and what does it do?"

In that moment a delicate hand was placed on both of the boy's shoulders. Naruto froze and Hiraku sat bolt upright.

"A Hokage," said the female voice that Naruto knew only too well, "is the head ninja of all the others in Konoha, like a village chief. He or she runs things to the best of their abilities and is the strongest in the village. It was Naruto's dream, and if I know him at all it still is, to become the Hokage."

Both Hiraku and Naruto turned at the same time. Naruto had a sheepish smile on his face but Hiraku looked scared.

"Hi Baa-chan!" Naruto said brightly. "How's Kakashi? Alive or do I have to pound some life into him?"

"He's stable," Tsunade said gravely, "but I want to know what possessed you to respond in such a manner. Arashi is not your name! It's the name of the Yondaime Hokage!"

"Oh so that's where it came from!" Naruto's eyes widened. "I'd been wondering where I picked it up, but I guess that's it."

Hiraku was confused.

"Arashi's a Hokage?"

"No silly, he just has the same name."

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. "Would someone tell me..." she seethed, "what the **hell** is going on! Who is this Arashi, and this child! **Naruto**! You have some explaining to do!"

"Hai! Tsunade-sama!" Naruto snapped to attention and then relaxed. "I'll tell you everything but it needs to be _all at once_. But I think we're safe with telling your name eh Hiraku?"

Tsunade's temper softened a bit to let the child speak as Naruto pushed him forwards. She still glared at the jinchuuriki but it, as always, seemed to have no effect. Hiraku however, was petrified.

"M-m-my name is Am-Amateras Hiraku m-ma'am." His voice was small, sweet and utterly endearing to Tsunade, who being the softie at heart she was, melted like a stick of butter. She bent down and ruffled the child's hair. Hiraku's eyes crossed in the center and he became even more nervous trying to escape without actually moving.

"It's alright." Tsunade cooed. "I'm sorry I scared you."

"T-that's fine!" Hiraku squeeked and backed away hastily, hiding behind Naruto's legs. The legendary medic's brows flew up into her bangs and she stared directly at Naruto who shrugged.

"Okay then, Naruto, you _will_ fill me in on the situation later correct?" Tsunade glared fiercely at the blonde shinobi.

"I promise." He was serious, albeit a bit frazzled.

"Good, you can come see Kakashi in the hospital in about half an hour. We'll have a room for him by then. Luckily most of them weren't damaged in the attack." Her voice trailed off as she went back up the stairs. Naruto looked after her for a while until she was fully out of sight. He tapped Hiraku on the shoulder.

"You can come out now." He said gently.

"Is..is she gone?" Hiraku snuck a peek around the orange fabric covering Naruto's legs.

"All gone. I admit she's hella nasty when she's mad, but she's not that bad. What scared you so much?"

Naruto felt a tremble go through the thin bones of Hiraku's body.

"Her chest," Hiraku whispered, "her chest was trying to eat me!"

Naruto just stood there, completely swamped by the idea. Tsunade's chest...trying to... Oh man, that was funny! He fell against the wall laughing hysterically and clutching his sides.

"Hi-Hiraku!" He gasped through gales of laughter. "D-d'you have a-any idea wh-who that was?"

The child shook his head vigorously, no.

"That, was the Godaime Hokage! Ha!"

"Please tell me you're joking," Hiraku groaned.

Naruto just howled with mirth as he led Hiraku out of the building but was quickly silenced as a mob of men and women rushed at him as soon as he stepped outside. Purely out of reflex he scooped up Hiraku and leapt as high as he could, which was to say, higher than the top of the Hokage tower. Naruto stuck his tongue out at the crowd below, which they thankfully could not see from that distance.

"Yee! They're more obsessed than Sasuke's fanclub!" Naruto stalled for moment before gravity took effect and pulled him down. As they began their descent Hiraku hung on for dear life.

"Naruto!" He cried. "We're going to crash!"

What Hiraku did not yet fully understand about normal well trained shinobi is that a simple drop from a hundred feet was like falling out of bed for them. Naruto was not normal.

"Hold on tight kid!" Naruto whooped craftily. "We're going flying!" When his feet hit the top of the tower he sprang away like a loose rocket and sent them sailing through the air. Wind whistled and slashed through his hair in a blast of enthusiasm, and as he soared above the rooftops with the people staring up below, Naruto couldn't remember when he had felt more alive.

---

Sometimes, when we see what we want to see it becomes so real that we cannot change the way we view it. For some of the people of Konoha it was most certainly that way, inside and out. Utatane Koharu was able to bend her views on the subject of the jinchuuriki her village held. Mitokado Homura however, a man of extreme pride, could not. They were the highest ranking councel members of Konoha and the Hokage's chief advisors. That didn't mean they liked her.

Koharu, as per her usual custom, was seated primly in her parlor room with a clay cup of steaming tea and the latest reports from her subordinates. Old she may be, but dull she was not. It was made known to her only minutes after his arrival that the demon vessel was back in town, and more importantly, by all accounts of him he was not as foolish as when he had left. That was dangerous.

There was a steady knocking at the door.

"Come." She commanded without looking up.

The door opened noiselessly and a man entered. Like most things in her life Koharu preferred perfection, even in the working of door hinges which she kept well oiled.

"What is it you want Homura?" She tranquilly sipped her tea and placed it ever so lightly back on the stand the stood beside her highbacked chair. She flipped a page of the report.

"He is back." Homura grumped and shuffled around the room, pacing.

"Yes, I was informed." Koharu flipped another page.

"Well?" He wanted to know.

"Well what?"

"What are we going to do about him?" Homura's tone was calm but Koharu was never fooled by that expression of his, even without looking at it. He was raging to cause some damage under that windbag veneer, and she was more than willing to scratch it.

"We?"

"Yes, we! You didn't expect me to involve Danzou in this did you?"

"Certainly not."

"Then, what are we going to do?"

"I," Koharu picked up her cup, "am going to finish my tea." She sipped it. "And then, I shall go for a walk while I contemplate the latest ANBU recommendations. You may do whatever you wish."

Homura goggled incredulously at his old team mate.

"Tea?" He spluttered. "And a walk?"

"Yes."

"Tea and a walk?" He repeated, as of he had not heard clearly the first time.

"I believe I already said that." Koharu skimmed over the rest of the report and downed what was left of her drink. "Now if you would be so kind to lock up after you leave, I am going out on my walk now." She stood and walked over to the door. Homura was close behind her and blocked her hand's way to the knob. Koharu turned and gazed serenely at her confidante and co-operator in the village's affairs. Homura was pressing his spectacles against the bridge of his nose despite the fact that the were not in the slightest bit loose. It was a sign of his inner fury that only a few knew how to read.

"Remove your hand from my way Homura." Koharu said coldly.

"I will more than happy to oblige," he responded with equal venom, "as soon as you give me a proper answer."

"I told you truthfully, that I am going for a walk." Koharu clutched his hand at the pressure point. "Now remove your hand, or I shall remove it for you."

"I believe you," Homura minced carefully, "however, your actions are never without cause. This must have some reason?"

As usual, Homura was his raging, nosey, picky self. Koharu almost smiled.

"Hmm, yes, I was planning on visiting Hatake Kakashi while he is hospitalized."

"What? When did this occur?"

"Shortly after the boy arrived, this morning."

Koharu waited for the planted implications of the statement to take effect. She could almost hear the cogs and wheels spinning in Homura's spitefully small skull.

"I see..." The elderly man held out his hand. "May I join you for that walk?"

"It would be my pleasure." Koharu allowed him to take her arm and they walked out of the house together, as always.

---

**Author's Note: As silly as it may seem, one of my primary reasons for naming Naruto's split personality 'Arashi' was soley to see the look on Kakashi's face when Naruto, an obvious Yondaime look-alike, responded to it. I couldn't get the image out of my head so I had to fit it in somehow. Surprisingly it has worked very well for the ploteline and it even helps me hook some new elements in that will be incorporated in the very near future. Happy readings!**


	27. Conspiracy

**Author's Note: To all those patiently waiting for Naruto to go out and kick unholy ass...sorry this is not the time. I do promise however to give you something spectacular to go "wow" about sometime in the near future. For now I have given a certain pink haired kunoichi a very loose tongue and returned one emotionless nutcase to the hatchery. Enjoy.**

**Ps. to Kirimori:**

**contrary to your assumption I adore long reviews. More than anything they inspire me to do my best when writing a chapter. It is very difficult to respond to a command that says "more please" and nothing else. I know that I should be happy with what I get, but like any greedy author I enjoy hearing how much people love my work. It's shamless, selfish and entirely disgraceful. I wouldn't have it any other way.**

**-A. L. Anderson**

---

Hatake Kakashi was a fairly sensible man. Even as a child he had been serious, and quite a bit more cross that he was as an adult. He was becoming too soft at the age of thirty-one and, he decided as he opened his eyes and groaned, rather foolish.

"Well," he said to the ceiling, which he was staring up at, "that was interesting."

It had been quite some time since he had been incapacitated like that simply by shock alone. The first was when he was only a child and his father...well, his father wasn't able to handle the pressure that was being placed on him for disobeying orders. Kakashi only vaguely remembered the details but he knew that there had definitely been a lot of blood when he came home to find his father lying face down in the living room. It was kind of a personality killer.

Since then there had been very few things that surprised him enough to give him a good scare. Apparently seeing his old teacher alive and well was one of those things. Kakashi sat up slowly and leaned heavily against the pillows at his back. It had to be a mistake. There was no way that man was alive. Kakashi was near the front lines when the Yondaime sealed the Kyuubi, he knew what he saw. After he had seen one dead body it pretty much set the standard for all the rest. When a man is cold, unmoving, and he no longer breathes, that man is dead. Kazama Arashi had certainly been dead when they brought him home on a stretcher.

That man could not be alive.

Kakashi groaned again and ground his palms into his eyes to drive out the images. Once in a while the memories flooded in. Obito...Rin...Otou-san... All that was left of anyone he had known was a gravestone, and sometimes not even that. Now Maito Gai, although he played dumb, was not as stupid as he pretended to be. Gai was over enthusiastic, kind, and genuinely concerned that one of his year mates had lost so much. And so, in typical Gai fashion, he dubbed Kakashi his 'Eternal Rival' so that the child prodigy would never feel alone. Kakashi was the youngest jounin in the history of Konoha then. He hadn't given a damn. Strangely enough, Gai's pestering insistance to keep up the 'rivalry' was one of the things that kept him sane throughout the years. Very strange...

Something was wrong though, and Kakashi couldn't quite put his finger on it but he knew it was important.

To distract himself Kakashi looked around the room. There were white curtains fluttering delicately over his bed where the sunlight streamed in from the window. It was warm, too warm in fact, almost like a hot bath. The walls were chipped and cracked from the attack, belying structural damage that was likely to cause the hospital budget some trouble in the near future. Having seen enough, Kakashi stretched towards the ceiling, yawning. His head hurt but that was expected he figured, since falling over in a dead faint tends not to provide much cushioning for the skull. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and was about to get up when he saw that there was someone at the door. There were several someones in fact.

"Well, I am certainly glad to see you up and feeling better." The Hokage was standing there along with with a crowd that consisted of two nurses, a brown-haired child and...that person that scarily resembled the Yondaime.

"Hmm." Non-committal noise was his specialty. Kakashi neither felt better, nor did he feel like getting up, but the repairs to the village wouldn't direct themselves. He went to rise and was immediatly restrained from standing by the two nurses.

"You are not moving from this room Kakashi-san, until I say otherwise." Tsunade bustled forwards sternly. "You just had quite the shock and I am not entirely convinced that it was completely caused by that alone." She busied herself with checking his pulse. She was about to announce the results, which were fine, when she noticed that the copy-nin's attention was focused elsewhere, towards the door. "I take it that you don't recognize that young man over there?" She pointed to the tall blonde shinobi who was staring directly at Kakashi's face with a look of fascination scrawled across his features.

"Hmm, in a way I do and I don't. He looks like-"

"-I am very aware of his appearance Kakashi-san. However, this is _not_ the Yondaime, as I have been explaining all morning to my staff." Tsunade stifled a sharp glare at the nurses who quickly vacated the room, sensing the Hokage's ire beginning to rise. "This is one of _your_ students, I'll leave you to guess which."

Kakashi sat bolt upright then. Only one of his former pupils was a blonde, wore orange in such a blatant manner and had the uncanny ability to surprise the hell out of everyone.

"Naruto?"

"The one and only!" the loudmouth shouted and finally made his way fully into the room while shutting the door after him. "You know Kakashi-sensei? This is the first time I've seen you without a mask on." Naruto was grinning from ear to ear while Kakashi's expression dropped into one of horror. That, was what had been irking him so much. Oh dear.

"It's not on?" he said casually, all the while panicking and placing an absent hand up to his cheek. Hastily, he tugged up the mask from where it had fallen onto his shoulders.

"Nope!" Naruto said cheerfully. "You know I was always curious about what was under that mask! And now that I know..."

I'm in trouble, were Kakashi's last thoughts as he prepared to be blackmailed. Naruto leaned forwards and whispered in his ear.

"...I'm not going to tell anyone."

"Eh?"

"It's too much fun!" Naruto straightened up. "I know what you look like and Sakura's going to be sooo jealous when I tell her!"

Kakashi's eyes squinted out with deflated worry.

"That's not very wise Naruto," he said knowingly, " and welcome home by the way."

"Thanks!" Naruto flopped down on the bed next to his former teacher. "Hey! Hiraku this is my old sensei, Kakashi." He beckoned to the small boy Kakashi had observed earlier. The child shuffled forwards without hesitation, but curiously avoided Tsunade's reach by a good distance.

"Hello." He bowed politely. "I'm Amateras Hiraku. It's nice to meet you Kakashi-san."

"Likewise." The sharingan-user smiled through his mask, eternally grateful that it was back in place. If he had gone out like that in public...He shuddered to think of it. "So where do you come from? If you're with Naruto that either means there was some sort of disaster or he's taking the 'superhero of Konoha' thing a bit too far. Since you're a little young for a sidekick job, I'm guessing it's the latter. Ne, Naruto?"

Naruto was not pleased. Hiraku stifled a ream of giggles that threatened to pour forth.

"Sensei--cut it!" Naruto growled. Kakashi whistled.

"Glad to see that your temper hasn't changed, unlike the rest of you." Kakashi let his eyes rove. "What _were_ you eating?"

"Stewed samphir and mushrooms okay? For three damn, blistering months I was stuck in a rock eating soggy fungus and green beans. At the end I was like this! I have no idea how the hell I got so big. It's not my fault!"

Whatever reaction Kakashi had been expecting it wasn't that. Clearly Naruto's changes were a touchy subject for him and best left alone. Even Hiraku looked surprised. He hadn't seen the angry side of Naruto before so it was a very uncomfortable contrast to the shinobi's usual sunny self.

"Gomen, Naruto. I didn't mean to offend." Kakashi defended himself calmly, having long ago become accustomed to his student's frequent outbursts.

"Yeah well..." Naruto grumped, "just leave it until later okay? I have to tell you a lot of things and most of them need steel doors and a soundproof room to be said in."

"Hmm." Kakashi was curious, but as Naruto had indicated, he would find out what the fuss was about later. In the meantime...

"Hey, did you guys feel that?" Hiraku started to move skittishly in the alien environment.

"Feel what?" Naruto was so focused on his conversation with his sensei that he hadn't been listening. A small thump resounded and then a shockwave went through the room, barely noticeable, but strong enough to send a shower of dust down from the cracks in the ceiling.

"That's odd." Tsunade remarked. "Earthquakes don't usually take place around this time of year unless it's another attack."

Kakashi however, knew better.

"That's not an attack," he said, "it would be much louder and we would have heard shouting. It's no earthquake either..."

The thumping suddenly picked up at a rapid pace getting stronger and more violent. It was heading towards the room. Suddenly Kakashi had a very enlightening idea that if correct would not be pleasant in the result.

"Tsunade," he said conversationally, "is Sakura working at the hospital today?"

The Hokage's face lit up with realization. Naruto's head whipped around and stared nervously at the Hokage. _Please say no. Please say no. Please say no._ He chanted fitfully in his head.

"Yes she is. I sent her here to oversee the inventory retrieval."

"I thought so."

_SHIT!_

It was only moments later as Naruto's face flung back to stare with dread at the entrance that a livid Haruno Sakura smashed her way through the doorway clad in an all white worksuit with fire in her eyes and a shout on her lips.

"**Where is he? I'll kill him so help me! Where is he?!**" She thundered forwards, immediately spotting the only blonde haired, orange wearing son-of-a-bitch in the room.

"**You! You inconsiderate moron!**" Sakura advanced on Naruto with predatory wrath. "**I was worried sick! You brainless, thickheaded dolt! For six months I waited! SIX! And not a word out of you, about you or anything to tell me you were safe! Not even a postcard!**" She punctuated each shout with a furious poke. Naruto was almost backed into a corner.

"S-Sakura," he muttered weakly, "I can explain..."

"**I don't want to hear it!**" Sakura's green eyes flashed with emerald rage. "You finally get back and who do I have to hear it from? **The nurse! You goddamned, shit-for-brains, asshole!**" She shouted in his face before hauling back a dangerous chakra filled fist and sent it speeding at his abdomen before Tsunade or Kakashi could do anything.

It was then that Naruto did two very stupid things. First, instead of dodging, without thinking he instinctually brought his hand up and stopped the enhanced fist of deadly chakra flying at him. Sakura's punch connected fully with his palm and the room shook violently, toppling Hiraku to the ground and shaking a considerable amount of sand out of the ceiling. Naruto however, was completely stationary. He hadn't budged an inch. Sakura was staring goggle-eyed with shaken disbelief that her attack had done spit-all when Naruto did the second stupid thing that sparked something unusual in him. He hugged her.

"I'm sorry," he said calmly holding her. "I know it doesn't make it any better but I'm sorry. Shit happened and I couldn't change it so quit getting so worked up about it. You never worried before. I don't get it Sakura, but if it'll make you happy I'll try to be more careful next time."

Sakura, who was still very upset clutched wearily at Naruto's jacket, which he still considered to be too tight. She shuddered momentarily and then went limp, all the fight draining out and being replaced with angry tears.

"I hated it." She said raspily, head down. "I hated the feeling of waiting for you without knowing where you were or what you were doing. It _hurt_ Naruto!" She stared up at him, dead in the eye. "Team seven is already short one member, and when no one could find you, and you didn't call, what was I supposed to think? I am _not_ losing another friend that way! I was not losing you, never you, you idiot! I felt so helpless all over again..." She wrenched Naruto's shoulders forwards until there was hardly air between them. "The reason why I trained with Tsunade was that I could be of some use to you, to _him_. And now..." She halted breathlessly. "Now, not even that works." She began to cry harshly into his shoulder as her hands went white at the knuckles.

Naruto didn't really know what to do. He stared akwardly at Kakashi over Sakura's shaking shoulders and mouthed the words 'help me'. Kakashi just grinned under his mask and Tsunade was fairly surprised that her student was exhibiting this sort of behaviour. If anyone knew Sakura well enough, they knew she didn't cry easily. That however, was secondary to what was foremost in her mind. Naruto had remained untouched when Sakura punched him, which was by all laws of physics, impossible.

Tsunade knew this. Tsunade knew this very well and yet Naruto had done the extraordinary and blocked an unblockable move. Tsunade had spent years perfecting the jutsu Sakura used to gain superhuman strength, and in her experience of using it she had found only two ways that it could be dealt with. It either had to be dodged or taken until the reciever of the blow was no more than a pile of broken bones and mangled flesh. Jiraiya was evidence enough of this.

"Naruto," the Hokage said severely, "we need to talk. Now."

Naruto nodded and reluctantly peeled Sakura off of him. He handed her to Kakashi to which he growled, "You were enjoying that way too much." under his breath. Kakashi said nothing but his eyes glinted with mischief. Naruto glared at him once more before stomping off to follow the Hokage out of the room.

"Hiraku," he said as he left, "I know it's a drag but could you wait for me back at the place where you woke up? I need to speak with some people."

"Can't I come along?" Hiraku tried to pull a puppy-eyed look but failed considering that Naruto had seen that ploy used one too many times.

"Sorry kiddo, this is ninja business and you're not a ninja."

"Aw!" Hiraku scuffed the ground with his foot disappointedly. he was such the picture of childlike dejection that Naruto had to smile.

"Don't worry," he said, "I'll come back to you once I'm done."

"You promise?"

"Better than that, I give you my word I'll always come back for you okay? That's stronger than any old promise."

Naruto winked and Tsunade rolled her eyes at the antic, little realising its significance.

"Kakashi-san I need to see you immediately after you are finished here. Make sure Sakura's calm before you bring her along as well," the Hokage called over her shoulder. "I expect both of you in my office in twenty minutes."

All said and done Tsunade and Naruto left completely with Hiraku scurrying to follow leaving Kakashi and Sakura alone in the room.

"What does she need us for?" Sakura asked in a tiny voice, still shaking.

"I suspect," Kakashi's eyes narrowed, "that it has something to do with why your jutsu didn't work."

Sakura looked up miserably.

"It's never done that before. I don't know why it failed." Her voice trailed off and Kakashi's eyes grew dark.

"That's just what's wrong," he said with a heavy gravity in his voice. "Your jutsu didn't fail at all. It was performed perfectly, but Naruto--Naruto stopped it."

"But that's-!"

"Impossible, I know. That's why we're going to see the Hokage and find out what happened. Although, I suspect that what we hear will be beyond belief."

Sakura lowered her head again and began to feel a whole other kind of upset.

_You've left me behind again haven't you...Naruto._

---

"If I am not mistaken, that boy next to Tsunade is the vessel, correct?" Koharu nudged her companion. She and Homura had just managed to reach the hospital as soon as Naruto and the Hokage were stepping out of it. By some stroke of fortune, Koharu nearly always managed to time things in a fashion that made them conveniant to her. This never went over well with Tsunade who spied her advisors as she exited the torn building; she was most unhappy about it and glowered menacingly at the pair as she passed them with Naruto, daring them to question or follow her.

Naruto, seemingly oblivious to the exchange, continued walking.

Tsunade stuck close to her protege and urged him onwards with a remark of how 'slow' he had gotten. Naruto sped up, just to negate that comment without actually answering it. Within a few short minutes they were gone and Homura was quietly fuming.

"The Hokage," he gritted his teeth, "seems to be taking liberties with _it_ that she has not informed us of."

"Yes, I shall have to make arrangements for that." Koharu agreed serenely. She turned smartly on her heels and marched towards a small black and grey building.

"What is to be done? Tsunade will surely not allow us to be party to any discussion with that--that _thing_." Homura followed quickly behind her, bristling with indignation. How dare she! How dare the Hokage refute his counsel!

"Calm yourself Homura. Root will take care of it, swift and clean." Koharu reached the wooden door of the squatting structure and knocked once before tapping the ground in front of it three times with her soft-shoed foot.

"Root? I thought we were keeping Danzou out of this." Homura scowled at his partner.

"Danzou is not the only one with his hand in the old system, or did you think that I would let such a valuable resource go to waste?"

Koharu let the rebuttal sink into Homura's limited understanding of her status as the door in front of her slid open slightly to reveal a steel gate beyond leading into a dark hall.

"Name." rasped an inhuman voice.

"Utatane Koharu."

"Purpose."

"Escorting guest and redistributing orders."

"Password."

"Souls are home, the shadow flies west."

"Welcome to Deep Root 94 Utatane-sama, we have been expecting you."

"After you." Koharu gestured to the archway that was now fully opened as the steel grill slid upwards. Homura balked.

"Since when have you known about this?" His brows were raised.

"Oh come now Homura! Surely you didn't think you were the only soul priviledged enough to know the locations of the Root stations around the village? I have known since they day they were put into effect, as did you. Now come, we have work to do."

Koharu forcibly shoved the old man into the enclosure and checked behind her for gawkers. She found none, and without further ceremony, slammed the door shut and snapped the grill back down.

In the darkness of that place, it was as the ringing of a death bell, tolling the demise of the past.

---

The Hokage's office was, as always, brighter than a place one would normally expect to be the center of serious decisions such as the one the Hokage was currently trying to make: whether or not to confront Naruto with her observations immediately or later. It was very clear to her that her advisors had seen her with the young man, and she could bet without gambling that they would have an informant set on her sooner than Jiraiya or the others would arrive. It was a very delicate time, and Naruto was only making things worse by insisting on the wait. She had already sent runner's out to find both Iruka and Jiraiya. Unfortunately the only person she had a summoning scroll for was Kakashi and he was already informed. All that was left was to wait and that in itself was becoming hazardous.

Naruto didn't seem to care at all. He was sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. Peculiarly he had unstrapped the sword from his back and had it resting against his folded legs. His hand, Tsunade observed was placed on the hilt and ready to draw.

So he was also expecting trouble? When did he get that idea?

"Naruto, we cannot wait much longer." Tsunade returned to her desk and began to clear away the empty sake bottles, looking a tad mournful as each one was dumped into the trash bin beside it.

"I know." Naruto cracked open one eyelid. "It's best this way though. Don't worry about those guys at the hospital. I dunno who they were, they definitely weren't friendly, but they'll have a hard time getting someone to sneak up on me." Naruto yawned and scratched behind an ear.

Tsunade's attention immediately turned to the blonde, sitting nonchalantly on the painted hardwood boards.

"You knew? How? How could you know that they would try and send someone?"

Naruto snorted and closed his eye again.

"You've got to be kidding me!" He said jokingly. "The old man had rage reeking off him worse than my old gym socks and that woman wasn't any better. She smelled...sneaky."

Tsunade had a bit of trouble with the last part of Naruto's speech.

"Did you say--smelled? Naruto, people do not 'smell' angry, or sad, or sneaky for that matter. _What_ has gotten into you?"

Naruto's eye flicked open and he stared up at the ceiling. Looking anywhere but into the Hokage's eyes was a good idea right now. Otherwise he was afraid he would spill the beans right then and there.

"What I mean is, uh, I sensed it, kind of like when you feel a killing intent, or something like that. It's a little hard to explain can you just wait please?" He was impatient and he wanted to get the thing over with as soon as possible. Tsunade was making it hard with her questioning however.

"That...makes sense," Tsunade mused, "but why didn't you say something earlier?"

"In front of sergeant gumpy and the witch lady? No thank you Baba!"

"I meant when we arrived here."

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh'. When were you planning on telling me?"

"Mmm," Naruto mumbled, "I wasn't actually."

"You what!?" Tsunade bristled with affronted ire. "This is my office you brat and if you intend to pull any insane stunts as I fully suspect you will, _I_ would like to know about them, _before_ you destroy what is left of the village."

"Sorry Baa-chan. I didn't think about that."

"I'm sure you didn't." Tsunade growled into her secret desk drawer where only one bottle of sake remained safe from Shizune's 'purge'. She looked about stealthily and then withdrew it cackling. Shizune need never know about it and Tsunade was highly due for her daily fix. Thank Kami for good alcohol, she thought as she took a direct swig from the bottle.

"What's that?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Nerve medecine, for dealing with your antics." Tsunade took another swig.

"Yeah right..."Naruto muttered under his breath and went back to resting against the wall.

It took nearly ten more minutes before there were knocks at the door indicating the arrival of the people Tsunade had summoned. Kakashi and Sakura entered first, both appearing very weary though each for different reasons. They were succeeded by a red-faced Shizune and Jiraiya who had what appeared to be a suspiciously hand shaped mark imprinted on his cheek. The old frog hermit tried to hold his head up with dignity but was failing miserably as his gaze repeatedly drew to the region of Shizune's backside. Iruka followed shortly afterwards blushing a bright firehouse red that someone of the legendary Sannin's stature would resort to such tactics--ever.

"Good," Tsunade clapped her hands after hastily stashing her sake back in its hiding place, "you're all here. I hope you don't mind Naruto, Shizune and Sakura will be joining us." Tsunade directed her attention expectantly to where the blonde sat just right of the door way, as did everyone else. Naruto smiled briefly before jumping lazily to his feet.

"The more the better. I probably should have invited Sakura anyway and Shizune's gonna hear whatever I tell you whether or not she's in the room. Secretaries can never resist knowing a secret." Naruto stuck his tongue out at the woman, who if possible, turned an even brighter shade of red, caught in her tendancies. Yes she would have spied, but that didn't mean the brat had to point it out. Honestly!

"Tell us what Naruto? What is this all about?" Sakura folded her arms and tapped and impatient foot against the floorboards.

"Well," Naruto stetched his arms out in front of him before arching the kinks out of his back and yawning, "the reason why you're here is mostly because of what Jiraiya knows about what happened. You wanna tell them Ero-sennin? I have to think for a little bit about some things."

Naruto went over to a corner and leaned against it, trading one resting spot for another.

All eyes were on the frog hermit as he cleared his throat to speak.

"I was in the port city just North of here when I felt a huge surge in a chakra level. It was unmistakably his." Jiraiya jerked his thumb over to where Naruto was. "Since we hadn't seen hide or hair of the kid for months naturally I investigated, while conducting research of course. It was a pretty tough piece of work but I managed to get inside the club that the signature came from, and lo and behold I found some guy parading around in almost an exact henge copy of Naruto. It was pretty good considering it was an amateur job but he had to have some connection with our idiot otherwise who'd go around looking like that?"

"Watch it." Naruto grouched from where he was and resettled irritably.

Jiraiya smiled. "Anyhow I talked to him about it and that's when he ran off and brought back some short guy with red hair. Kinda looked like Gaara. I figured that there had to be some connection there too so I bought the guy a drink,we talked a bit and then I found out something pretty damn disturbing." Jiraiya paused for dramatic effect, as usual he was playing the part of the storyteller.

"Go on." Tsunade's eye twitched impatiently and she curled a hand threateningly into a fist. This was no time for games. Jiraiya eyed it nervously and cleared his throat again.

"He, Naruto I mean, took the Kyuubi's chakra to the next level. He merged with it completely."

The effect of the words blasted through everyone as if a bomb had gone off in the room. There was silence and then hardly room between breaths for anyone to hear straight afterwards because they all began to shout denials and excessively explicit language. Merging with the Kyuubi was impossible! That evil thing? Good gracious he must be joking. He was joking wasn't he? He had to be!

In the meanwhile Naruto was busily rubbing his temples waiting for the noise to receed. Everything was so loud and bright that it was getting unbearable again. It seemed that the more active the outside world was the more it impacted his senses. Even the sharp exhales that his friends were giving pushed the air around his skin and made him shiver. It was altogether too much.

_Hey you damn fox, you there?_

He waited and momentarily, the toothy grin of the Kyuubi reared it's malicious head within his mind.

**So you finally decided to call me out eh Gaki? Ask your questions because I'm about to snap if those heathens don't quit squawking like a bloody flock of chickens.**

_Fine! I just want to know one thing. What's going to happen to me after this? You said there was something else coming, something worse...What is that?_

He could almost feel the dark chuckle vibrate throughout his being as the Kyuubi shifted like a coiling snake within.

**I've been waiting for you to ask.**

_So tell already!_

**You sure you want to know?**

_I wouldn't be asking if I didn't._

**You're head's going to feel like a split cord of wood in a lumber mill and you can forget about eating because you won't be able to keep anything down. Then there's the itching, the burning, the aching and the shivers. Oh and my absolute favourite part is when you begin teething. You'll be so irritable that you'll be clawing your way out of your own skin!**

_Gee, great, I feel so reassured. You really enjoy pain and suffering don't you?_

**Do bees make honey? Absolutely! I'd laugh my ass off if I had one. Make sure someone ties you down though Naruto-hime or you're guranteed to tear the place apart. **

_What?_

**Oh didn't I mention it?** The Kyuubi's voice began to fade out as he receeded back into the depths of Naruto's soul. **You're going to be temporarily insane for the most part so enjoy lucidity while it lasts Gaki.**

It was so faint Naruto almost missed the last part of the speech.

_**Sucker...**_

Naruto's eyes blazed open in a snap of panic. What was he going to do? He might hurt everyone...who were still arguing. They needed to stop, now!

"Everyone!" Naruto shouted loudly. "Shut up and listen!"

The small crowd quieted grudgingly. Sakura most of all was particularly distressed.

"I understand that you don't like it, but it's done and it can't be changed so don't complain. Now what Jiraiya told you is completely true, the other half of that is my business. You remember that I wasn't exactly in top form when you picked me up." Naruto nodded to Jiraiya who took the hint.

"Yeah, you were still in that henge, which was a piece of genius by the way. You were as sick as a dog, and worse. I don't think I've ever seen you in that condition, injured maybe, but definitely not ill."

Naruto inclined his head ever so slightly and huffed wearily.

"Yeah, well the whole picture is that those were side effects of the merging, and I'm still not through them yet. They're called tremors and I've got one last set to go through. Those are supposed to be the worst. I really ain't looking forward to it but I've got no choice. Unless I want to be a walking basket case for the rest of my life I can't repress them."

Sakura who had spent the majority of the time getting more frustrated as it passed could not help her reaction more than to scream.

"Augh! That's just like you isn't it!" She was mad again. "Always taking the reckless road without telling anybody first! What is _with_ you Naruto! You could at least have told me what you were doing when you left. I might have been able to help!"

Naruto cocked his head to the side and peered at the pink haired kunoichi curiously.

"You know," he said offhandedly, "you're kind of cute when you're mad."

The rest of the people in the room managed to keep straight faces but it was difficult as they watched the anger drain out of Sakura and she stuttered.

"N-Naruto! Don't say such random things!"

"Why not?" The shinobi smiled lightly, enjoying the fact that he was making his team mate uncomfortable.

"Because, it's--it's not related to the subject at hand!"

"Eh? I think you're a worthwhile subject. What about you Kakashi-sensei. Don't you think she's worthwhile?"

"Ahem, yes Naruto," Kakashi coughed into his hand, "but Sakura was referring to the fact that you tend to get sidetracked when speaking."

"Eh? What was I talking about anyway?" Naruto yawned again. He didn't know why but he had been feeling sleepy ever since arriving at the Hokage's office. Damned teenage hormones.

"Your condition I believe, was the last topic under discussion." Tsunade interjected from her desk. "Please try to be a little more clear on that this time. Is there any danger to the village from your 'tremors' as you call them?"

"Oh that! Right, um, there might be a bit of danger."

"Such as?"

"I might go insane and start wrecking everything?"

"Naruto," Tsunade growled, "that's more than 'a bit of danger'. What do you expect me to do about that!? I cannot control that monster any more than...than..."

"You get it right? That's why it's okay for me to be here."

"What? What am I missing?" Iruka piped up from where he had been standing quietly for the time being.

"Yamato, the scary guy who captained our team when Kakashi was out of commission, he can control Naruto's reactions when he's using the Kyuubi's chakra." Sakura explained smoothly.

"I don't understand, I thought the Kyuubi's power was uncontrollable." Iruka was slightly more than confused.

"He is." Naruto said quietly. "But that doesn't mean he can't be blocked."

"He?" Tsunade was wary and strode over to where the young man stood. "Naruto do you actually communicate with that thing?"

The shinobi looked away from everyone and stared at the wall.

"...Yeah."

Among the elder ninja of the room there was a wave of concern.

"Hey, kid, don't be so glum. There are worse things to have in your body." Jiraiya clapped a heavy hand onto his former pupil's shoulder. "Like blood leeches. Whew, every time I think about those nasty suckers burrowing under the skin it gives me the willies!" Then he did something unwise in the extreme and copped a feel of the Hokage's behind while she was near.

"Ew! Jiraiya-sama!" Sakura screeched.

"Ero-sennin!" Naruto yelled.

"Freak!" Tsunade walloped the perverted old man upside the head with a resounding smack. At the end of it Jiraiya sported two different sets of slap marks on each of his cheeks, a glowing testament to his legendary...tendancies. Tsunade then began to shout at Jiraiya, calling him several different kinds of idiot while Shizune and Sakura did their best to restrain her from hitting the man again. Naruto sidled out from the violent action slowly, scabbard in hand, and shared a pained look with the rest of the men in the room who were looking on with macabre interest.

"As old as he is you'd think he'd learn. It's highly unrespectable." Iruka was miffed in the way that overly protective father-figures tend to get.

"Are you kidding?" Kakashi said mildly. "The older you get the more you miss not being able to act like that. I admire it."

"I think it's a deathwish." Naruto said blandly, having extracated himself from the battle zone. "Even I'm not dumb enough try something as stupid as that."

"But you would?" Kakashi prompted.

"If I could get away with it, but I don't think Sakura would forgive me."

"That's a good strategy even though you don't have to worry about physical damage."

"Eh?" Naruto pulled his eyes away from the fight. "What do you mean? She'd kill me!"

Kakashi's one visible eye narrowed.

"That's a lie Naruto, and I don't want to hear any more of those. You completely stopped her punch at the hospital. That's a move that not even Jiraiya, a legendary Sannin can block. I'm guessing the merge with the Kyuubi did quite a bit more than just expand your chakra."

Naruto stared stubbornly at his teacher for a moment before giving in.

"Alright," he said ruefully, "it is a bit more complicated. I didn't say anything because I wanted to surprise everyone."

He smiled. Kakashi didn't buy it.

"You mean you were afraid of how we would react."

Naruto threw a dirty look in the sharingan-user's direction before stomping away angrily.

"Fine, just fine," he muttered and then shouted. "Everybody stop! I've got something else to say."

They stopped, and stared. Naruto gazed around fruitlessly for a bored face, anything to tell him to halt what he was doing. He found none. Damn. Digging your own grave was so easy.

"Okay," he said quietly. "Don't talk, don't move for a minute. I've got to concentrate to make this work."

He stood still then, gripping the hilt of his sword, and closed his tired eyes in the middle of the room. It was wonderful with the blessed quiet washing over him and just the sound of breathing.

Breath.

Someone's breath smelt like alcohol.

"Baa-chan, I don't think that 'nerve medicine' of yours was what you said it is. Sake right?" Naruto let his voice roll off his tongue lazily. Concentrating like this felt kind of like dreaming. It was weird. Even as he listened he could hear the beat of hearts faint within their fleshy prisons. One was out of tune.

Thump--ba-thump--silence--thump--ba-thump...

"Kakashi, your ticker is still out of whack. You should get Tsunade to fix that before you keel over again."

Naruto inhaled heavily and breathed out slowly. It was a bit like working through a haze as he opened his eyes to half-mast. It was too much effort to open them the whole way. He scanned the room. They were all watching him intently. Suddenly an intense wave of scent hit his nose. He cringed. What _was_ that smell? It was so familiar, like...ink?

Oh, bloody hell, no. Not that guy! Yeash.

Naruto shook himself out of his stupor and let his nose do his seeing for him. It tracked the source of the ink-smell to a place just slightly to the left of Shizune's head, up in the ceiling.

"Everyone," he said at last, " the best way for me to explain everything is for you to watch. Shizune-san, could you move a bit to the right please?"

Puzzled, the secretary did as asked.

"Thank you." Naruto said pleasantly. "And Baa-chan?"

"Yes Naruto?" The Hokage responded civilly, no longer seeking to tear Jiraiya limb from limb.

"Sorry about your roof."

It was not until the dust had settled and the men and women in the room were able to open their eyes. What they saw was a square slab that had clearly been cut out of the ceiling and lying on top of it was a surprised looking Sai with Naruto's sword glittering white, dangerously pointed at the fallen teen's jugular.

"Why are you spying on me Sai?" Naruto's voice was strangely calm, and it rang of supressed anger.

"I was ordered to." Sai anwered truthfully.

"Ah, in that case you'll get into trouble if you don't report something back right?" Naruto sheathed the unusually bright katana he held with a graceful slide of metal into the scabbard and set it aside. He held out his hand for Sai to take and pulled him to his feet. Naruto ran his fingers through his hair. What to do, what to do.

The rest of the people in the room observed him quietly as he began to pace, ignoring them all. To Sakura in particular it was like watching an entirely different person, like she had been for the majority of the day. Who was Naruto now? He certainly wasn't the same person who left Konoha. He wasn't the same, not at all...

"Sai, go ahead and tell them whatever you heard okay?" Naruto went back to leaning against the wall. Gods he was tired. "And tell them...the next time they want to know something they'd better ask me first, 'cause spying ain't going to work."

"But I'm going to tell them everything I know. Isn't your statement contradicting itself?"

"That's because it's you and not somebody else I'm letting go."

"But isn't the point of secret meetings to keep them secret. That's what I thought. Am I wrong?"

"No Sai," Naruto yawned, yet again, "you're not wrong. I just want whoever it is that sent you to know that I know they're after me is all. It's as simple as that." Naruto slid to the floor. "It's kinda dumb really, I mean they sent you proabably knowing I wouldn't kill you if you were caught so there really isn't any other option to take. So tell em and, if they wanna talk or something could you let me know? I'm getting tired of sneaking around like some stupid refugee, it's really cutting into my sleep!"

Naruto drew up his knees and started to doze off in the middle of the crowded room.

"Do you want me to sleep with you?" Sai asked honestly.

"What the hell?!" Naruto's head snapped up "Where'd you get the idea I'd want _that_!?"

"People sleep better when they're with another person, I read it in-"

"In a book, yeah, yeah. Sai, not everything you read is going to be one-hundred percent accurate. So kindly buzz off please, and let me sleep. It's nice to see you by the way."

Sai crouched down to eye level with Naruto

"Are you sure you don't want me to?" He was very serious.

"Want you to what?" Naruto began to growl.

"Sleep with you."

"Argh! That's it! Out! Go! You perverted idiot! You're as bad as Ero-sennin! OUT!" Naruto leapt up from where he sat and chased Sai out of the room swinging the sheath of his sword like a club. Sai didn't waste time in saluting a goodbye and disappearing around the corner leaving a very irritated Naruto behind.

"Jeez! I don't know how it's possible but that guy gets more annoying every time I see him. Anyhow, at least you guys get the point now right?"

He was met with blank stares all around.

"Aw, come on! You mean you couldn't tell the amount of awsome skill that was put into pulling that off?"

"Actually Naruto, you never explained what you were doing so we can't comment really." Kakashi shrugged.

"Oh...right." Naruto scratched his head. "Well to put it bluntly I was sensing out the room."

"Sensing?"

"Yeah, like hearing your heatbeat or smelling that godawful ink that Sai uses for his jutsus. It was a dead giveaway."

"Smelling...the ink? Naruto would this happen to have any relation to that comment you made earlier in my office? About that man and woman." Tsunade questioned him directly. It was important that she knew.

"Yes, sorry about the lying but that old lady really did smell sneaky, same as you guys are--I dunno, confused I guess."

"That's not possible Naruto. Even with a good sense of smell you can't scent peoples intentions through what you take in."

"Un huh, I also can't stop a punch from Sakura and I can't merge with a monster. You know, everytime I try to explain something somebody says 'that's impossible'. I can't understand why you guys want to limit things that way. Just because something hasn't changed doesn't mean it can't or won't, heck I may even learn to fly someday. Who knows?"

Naruto stretched out his limbs and leaned against the doorframe.

"Anyhow, I've said what I had to say and I'm tired, so I'm going home to bed. You guys can make of it what you like. I don't really care, but it's the middle of the day and I need a nap before I even attempt to start putting my place back together. See ya!" He smiled brightly at them before waving and taking his leave of the place without another word.

Sakura thought it was the fakest thing she had ever seen.

"He's angry with us." She murmered regretfully. "He expected more from us and we let him down I think."

"That's Naruto though," Shizune said with blatant disregard. "He always expects more than he can get."

Sakura glared at the secretary. Usually Shizune was more understanding, but given the current situation her remarks were uncalled for.

"After as much as he's been through," Sakura spat venomously, "he can and should expect as much as he wants to from us. I never knew all the details, I still don't, but he fought harder than _anyone_ to be accepted for who he is now. I think that deserves some faith, don't you?" She turned with disgust and marched out of the room to do what she should have done in the first place.

She should have welcomed him home.

---

"I see. Thank you Sai. You may leave." Koharu waved the ANBU/Root agent away and beckoned Homura to follow her.

Sai watched keenly as the old hag and her lap dog left. Sai did not like Utatane-sama, or Mitokado-sama. It was one of the few emotions he possessed that he identified correctly each time he felt it. He never let the dislike color his features or show in his speech, but he knew what he felt. Those two were trouble, trouble for Naruto, and any trouble for Naruto was trouble for him. The leader would have to be informed. He walked away contemplating his next move.

Koharu in the meantime had already formulated her plan.

"It seems that he has managed an interesting thing," the old woman said offhandedly.

"Interesting? Barbaric is more like it. That monster should have been put down years ago, not cultivated like some--some village pet!" Homura scowled and griped at the idea that anything so destructive could have a positive attribute.

Koharu truely smiled then.

"Yet he is here, and he grows stronger every day in allies and body. You will keep a lock on that tongue of yours won't you? When we speak to Tsunade there will be no hint of this subterfuge in either of us. We _must_ appear neutral. He can be used Homura, if we act accordingly. He can be used very well and disposed of without suspicion. That impressive temper of his is malleable and can be directed towards any target we wish. Do you understand? _Any_ target."

"If you are suggesting the renegade Uchiha..."

"Not the, one of them. You forget that there are two remaining."

"Itachi?"

"Precisely."

Koharu let her old team mate process this as she led the way out of the building. It would take time, but in the end the jinchuuriki would act as she wished and do his duty to the village and fight for it, suffer for it, and die for it.

---


	28. All Creation

**Author's Note: Sorry for the wait. Life has been throwing curve balls in rapid succession recently, one of which shocked me so much I fell out of bed. I recently recieved a letter from the art college I applied for. They only accept thirty reccomended students per year and I was number thirty-one, which is to say, highly unfavourable odds. To my eternal delight I received the acceptance letter in the mail today. I believe the only sound I was able to produce for sometime was "Eeee!', like some overgrown version of Dr. Evil's Mini-Me, sans the baldness. Anyhow, as you have all been patiently or impatiently waiting, here is the next installement, and a little peek into our favourite desert hermit's past.**

---

In many ways the universe is a small place. If someone were to calculate the actual size and space of it the results would sorely crush that view but space is not as important as what resides in it. Among the vast number of stars in a single galaxy the chance of a single star having one planet is gargantuan. However, that number decreases by an almost incalculable margin when you add life to the mix. In certainty there are micro-organisms aplenty, bacteria, fungi and the like, but what is truly miraculous is the ability of intelligent life to develop. One chance encounter of a single celled organism in the right environment and with the right catalyst is all it takes, but when chance is reduced to a level of probability amongst the zillions of cells on one planet circling one of a billion stars in one galaxy...you will find that the neighborhood is quite sparse.

The universe is a very small place, and on one planet in that universe where the cells had managed to collide at precisely the right moment there stood a very old man, who by universal standards was ridiculously young. Moriya of the winds, the Betrayer, these names were his and many more like them, the one most often attributed to him however was Traitor. He thought that was fitting, seeing that it was his fault the line of jinchuuriki was broken and that for two centuries there had been no complete mergings whatsoever. It was entirely his fault, that there was an inadequate one now.

Mori gazed out across the smashed sea glinting in the broad daylight from the balcony of the Alta Vista. In all of his long years he had never been so torn between duty and what was right. In his left hand was clutched a tattered scrap of paper that anounced rather rudely in smudged writing that the writer, his student, had gone home. It was only the most natural reaction that any person would have to discovering just how deeply they were being manipulated. Naruto was special however. That boy...after all the time that Mori had spent watching him as he grew from homeless child to troubled to teen and finally into the brave though reckless young man he now was, he still could not fathom the amount of forgiving that boy had done.

_We will come back to you in the desert._

"When you are good and ready." The man's shoulder's heaved with an ancient sigh. So much for the glory of the Kinsei, legendary caretakers of the world. So much for him, the worst of them all, damned to rectify a wound so old that only myths remembered it...

Should he stay? Should he go? Should he leave and never bother the youth again? A decision more than one was always difficult to make, and Mori had made enough of them to know that they seldom turned out as expected. He began to sing in a low voice, an old song that had been translated so many times that the origins were scattered to the four winds. This song he knew without thinking, without breathing. It echoed all lost things and raised their ghosts for his mind to see and comforted him.

_"Dreamless sleep in the night deep,_

_Far, so far from home._

_Troubled are the heroes of men,_

_The smaller gods of Rome._

_These marching men of honor,_

_These speakers of no tongue,_

_They cut the winding path before us,_

_And fade with all great heart._

_These sacrifices burning,_

_Upon the funeral pyre,_

_These were gods of men once,_

_And mother's weary sons._

_On their eyes place down the fare,_

_The token for the dead._

_Only coin of living souls,_

_May cast them into fame, _

_To fade with all great heart,_

_To fade with all great heart."_

Mori hummed the rest of the dirge to himself. There were days when he couldn't remember where he had learned it, but it was comforting to bring out once in a while. He was so preoccupied with these thoughts that the sound of footsteps behind him failed to attract his notice.

"I snuck up here to talk to Cain but man, that's a bit of a mood killer." a young and unexpected voice sounded from behind him, "Where'd you pick up such a depressing bit of wailing, in a graveyard?"

Mori stopped humming and turned. There wasn't a thing that could have prepared him for it but he took it in stride nonetheless. Standing behind him with a cold expression was Arashi, the persona Naruto had created.

"You've returned." He stated the obvious. "I see. Am I to expect an attack or do you have something else in mind?"

"I don't know." The shorter young man replied. "You're the one that'll have to decide that. I'm just here to make up for lost time and to warn you to stay the hell away from Naruto."

"That is a very difficult order to fill considering that you are here."

"I'm here, he isn't."

Mori's head slipped to the side in contemplation.

"That is highly unusual," he said with fascination, "normally a fully fledged jinchuuriki doesn't start the Creation process until much later. You must have been a very strong influence to have come this far...Or something must have gone wrong."

"What do you mean by that?" Arashi became suspicious at this moment. The old man had always been cryptic but it seemed that whatever secrets he had been keeping went far deeper than just mere manipulation.

"Chakra overflow is what I am referring to. Whenever a merger between a human and bijuu takes place there is always some backlash. The beginning stages are what Mr. Uzumaki should be experiencing just about now. Tremors, if I remember correctly."

"Yeah he's definitely got those." Arashi grimaced in rememberance of the awful feeling.

"The next part is what we call Creation in which the chakra overload explodes and warps quite a few laws of nature. In most cases the jinchuuriki goes mad during that time and subsequentially becomes capable of things that would generally be considered impossible in the extreme, such as the creation of another human being through chakra fusion alone. Hence the name 'Creation'. It usually takes some time until the body is ready to perform it. Creation is also known as the final tremor, there are three in all that under normal circumstances take place, at the very least, one week apart from each other."

"Then we have a problem." Arashi's eyes darkened considerably. "He's already had two of those in the same day, and that was yesterday. I was made during the second."

Mori went competely still as a heart strangling feeling of worry welled up inside of his being. There were many things he had done and not done in his life that he had regretted, and Mori knew without questioning it that if he did not find Naruto soon, find him and contain the flare that was likely to happen at any moment, he would regret it forever.

"I must go to him." he snapped suddenly and made for the entryway.

"Hold it!" Arashi yelled. "If you're going then you're taking me with you. I was planning on staying here for a while but I'm not leaving him to you without surveillance. I don't trust you and I don't know what you'd pull. Besides that, I've already seen the way and we'll get to Konoha much faster if I lead."

"Fair enough." Mori nodded quickly and then swept into the building with his robes billowing furiously behind him. "There can be no delay," he said as Arashi followed silently, "this has never happened before, and if it is not stopped I'm afraid that there may be nothing left of him to tell why."

---

The sun set that evening in a pale haze that was mysteriously veiled as if secretive about its ways. Overlooking the half rebuilt village of Konoha, the Hokage mountain peered down with its cracked visages as if to examine the progress being made. Sitting cross legged on top of that mountain one Uzumaki Naruto sighed. He would always miss the dramatic sunsets of the desert. They made you feel like the last human at the end of the world with how the fiery colours mixed and blended in a way he was sure no other place on the earth could produce. It was exciting.

Konoha's sunsets were alluringly calm, the kind that lulled a heavy mind into a dreamless sleep. Perfect. They had their own magic to cast on the unwary visitor, and any native to the village could tell you they were devastatingly effective after a hard days work.

Naruto felt like he had worked for years without a break. After a quick nap he had offered his services to the men and women at the Academy restoration. They had welcomed him with open arms though some suspicion flickered in their eyes, especially in Naomi after she had woken up and learned who he was. There was some conflict there all right, but at least Keichii was able to calm her down.

Naruto had never handled a hammer and nails before so it took many stubbed thumbs and several splinters before he got the hang of it. Stupid wood. The workers had laughed, though not unkindly and many stopped to correct him when he was hitting an off angle or holding the hammer wrong. Hiraku helped of course, running errands and fetching this or that person to help with a problem section. At the end of it the poor child was so tuckered out Naruto had to carry him home and put him to bed. It had indeed been a long day.

He had taken his frustration out on the act of the construction and worked himself nearly to the limit of his ability to stand up straight. Why, why couldn't his friends just accept what had happened? It wasn't as if he had changed all that much. Sure he'd grown a bit, wised up some, but he was still the same person inside. Didn't that count for something?

He huffed tiredly and flopped onto his back to stare up at the sky. There was so much he had tried to say but hadn't. There was stuff he needed, wanted, but it seemed the older he got the more likely it wasn't going to happen. Gaara had been right, ages ago he'd been right that when you took on responsibility there were some things you wouldn't want to do that you had to, and some things you wanted that you could never have.

_Like that..._ He thought lazily as he gazed upwards and saw an eagle circling it's way towards some unknown destination.

_Freedom, I want that._

Naruto raised a limp hand to the sky and most like a child trying to catch a distant image closed his fist over the figure of the bird. It was just grasping at a dream that was so unreal it could never be true. Even as a ninja with his own way and edicts he still had both bonds of friendship and those of the hatred and fear that he could still feel pouring in from the villagers. It seemed that once it was proven their Yondaime was nothing but a figment of their imaginations some of them became even more bitter towards him than ever, as if it was his intention to cheat them that way, to trick and hurt them. Naruto was fond of a good joke, but never something so cruel. Why couldn't anyone see that?

Everything he did, didn't seem to make much difference. He could understand why Sakura had been angry. After training so hard she was still unable to be as useful as her heart needed her to be. And he, fighting, kicking, biting, scratching his way out of the lies he'd been buried under for most of his young life, now had all the strength he could possibly hope for and no one to believe in it...Well, wasn't that just fine and dandy?

There was a trickle of rocks some way off. He closed his eyes and listened. Now who could that be? It was not heavy enough to be a very big person but neither was it light, so scratch children and adult men off the list. It had to be a woman. She sure was determined whoever she was. He heard her slip and curse a few times getting up the broken face of the mountain side. Naruto grinned. Only one girl he knew could swear comfortably like that. He waited until she cleared the top of the cliff and felt her approach before speaking.

"Hello Sakura." He opened his eyes, still ever that startling blue and peered at her upside down. She was by all means, completely disheveled. Her white uniform was smeared with any number of odd smelling things and her hair was swept up messily into a bun.

"Hey." She responded with a lack of breath. "Can I join you?"

"Sure." Naruto shimmied over a bit. "The ground's always free. My spot is your spot so pull up some grass and stay a while."

"My what a gentleman," Sakura said sarcastically and gracefully seated herself.

"Yeah, and you didn't even have to beat me for it."

They both had a good laugh over that. It was the long history between them that brooked such moments, and it felt good. Maybe they were closer than just friends. Naruto didn't know, he was just glad she was there and not burning his ears off.

"So, um, what's on your mind Naruto?" Sakura's nervousness flowed off her in a thick wave. Naruto knew he wouldn't have to be a jinchuuriki to sense her aprehension, it was that bad. It made him prop himself up on his elbows and look at her seriously.

"I'd tell you but you seem to be itching to say something yourself. So spit it out."

Sakura bowed her head. Damn he wasn't going to make this easy was he?

"Alright, okay then." She clasped her hands together fitfully. She hated apologising, especially to Naruto, the idiot. Knowing the turkey he'd gloat about it for days afterwards. Stupid Naruto!

"I'm--"

"Yee-ees?" Naruto leaned forwards with interest. Sakura usually didn't have this much trouble saying something if she really wanted to, which meant she didn't.

"I'm--"

"Losing your mind? 'Cause you're doing a pretty good immitation of it, believe me, I _know _crazy." He nearly shuddered remembering one of Jiraiya's more enterprising trips to a teahouse, in which the Ero-sennin managed to piss off a very well endowed, **violent** mistress of tea ceremonies. The old man was clearly over the hill and down the other side, _way_ down.

"NO!" Sakura's own violent streak began to build again. "I had a psychological examination recently I'll have you know! And I am perfectly fine!"

"And the reason for this exam would be...?"

"It's mandatory you dolt!" She swatted his head. "All medical ninja have to have one at least once every six months to make sure the pressures of the job aren't getting to them. We see a lot more torn up bodies and mangled corpses than anyone else so it's bound to knock some of us a little loony."

"You're sure you're okay?"

"Yes!"

Naruto laughed and ducked as she aimed another swat at his head. "Okay, okay I get it!" He snickered. "You're as sane as me."

"That's not very reassuring considering that you're supposed to go stark raving bonkers soon." Sakura dead panned.

Naruto shrugged, although feeling a little stung by the comment.

"Yeah, well I can't do much about it, you know, evil monster and all that." He tapped his stomach.

Sakura clasped her hands a bit tighter and looked away. Why was this so difficult?

"About that," she uttered softly, "we--I wasn't exactly as supportive as I could have been when you told us everything so...I'm sorry." She breathed out heavily, glad the hard part was over. "I never intended to act that way, its just everything that's happened and then you and _that_," she pointed to the center of his torso, "all at the same time was a bit much. I believe you, about the Kyuubi, I'd still believe you if you told me you're a fish." She giggled, thinking about the orange and black clown-fish that was oh so like him. "But most of all I think I believe that you'll make it, whatever you do. I've never seen something stop you. It makes me jealous..."

Sakura wrapped her arms around her legs and drew them up to her chest. She was a bit fuzzy minded after all that and she could feel his eyes boring into the back of her head as she looked out over the horizon to an indeterminable distance. Was he judging her? It really wasn't like him to be so silent for so long. Her thoughts buzzed with these concepts and others like them. It almost didn't register when she felt something warm and soft grace the skin on her cheek for the briefest of moments. A shiver went all through her body as she brought a hand up to the spot and she peeked at the reclining shinobi.

_Did he just...?_

There were no indications on his face that he'd just done anything embarassing to himself. He wasn't even blushing, just looking at the sky.

"You asked me 'what's on my mind.' Well, I was thinking," Naruto said clearly, "that what I wanted most was freedom, just so I could fulfill all my dreams without having to put foot to ass to get them. But I'm not so sure about it now. It seems a little selfish. I mean, I've seen what happens to a person when they've got everything, they forget about the rest of the world, the things most important to them." He stared directly at her and Sakura couldn't explain why but for a moment she forgot to breathe. Those eyes were so blue...

"I never want to forget anyone. You guys mean a lot to me, a hell of a lot more than some stupid wish. Even if I don't make Hokage someday you'll still be here."

Sakura felt a bubbling sensation of warmth. Naruto really had grown a lot hadn't he?

"So while you're still here, you wanna go get something to eat with me? I'm starving!"

Scratch that, he was still an immature idiot _waiting_ to grow up. Way to ruin a moment! Sakura groaned.

"Fine, fine," she said exasperatedly, "where do you want to go?"

_Need I ask..._

"Ichiraku Ramen!" Naruto whooped happily and flipped onto his feet. Sakura rolled her eyes and pushed herself upwards. Of course he wanted to go to Ichiraku, he always wanted to go to Ichiraku. Where else would they even be able to feed his enormous appetite anyways? Sakura shook her head in amusement. The one completely predictable thing about Naruto was that if there were ramen nearby, he would want it.

She was about to start off for the way down the mountain when a strangled moaning reached her ears. She snapped around to see Naruto doubled in half and wretching out his insides.

"Naruto!" She yelled. "What happened?"

"I dunno," he said weakly, "soon as I got up I felt like yesterday's dinner was trying to fight it's way out of my stomach. Bleh. Looks like it won too." He squinted ruefully at the mess on the ground. "S-Sakura," he stuttered as he stumbled forwards, "I think we'll have to take a raincheck for that food."

"Is this those 'afteraffects' you were talking about?" She asked worriedly.

"Probably yeah. Could you get baba and the scary guy? 'Cause there's no way I'm movin' anywhere right now." Naruto fell back down onto his side and curled up into a fetal position as Sakura watched with a growing sickness in her belly.

"I'll go as quick as I can!" She shot off to the way down as Naruto nodded blankly. Sharp rocks and gravel nicked and grazed her skin as she all but flew down the mountainside. Being the hellminded kunoichi she was the cuts barely caught her notice as she hit the ground running into the darkness. Her heart and feet pounded against time. Naruto was in danger.

In this field she was useful, she could help with whatever took place. She was a medical ninja, and she didn't kid herself that she was nearly the best in her class, second only to Tsunade. She could help, she could save him, and gods damn her if she didn't!

---

"That's it." Arashi pointed to the nearly invisible cave opening in the evening darkness. "That's the way in. The Sannin said something about genjutsu being used to make the village appear empty at the other end so I'm assuming they have guards stationed at all times."

"Astute observation. Most likely that is the case." Mori stood imposingly silhouetted by the dying light. "If we are to make a clean break of it we must be unexpected. Are there any side passages?"

"I never got that far enough to know. I was only a kilometer into the thing and so far as I could see there's just the one way in and out."

"Mm, that does pose a problem, but nothing that cannot be dealt with. What is the approximate distance across?"

"The leader mentioned a day's worth of travel, but we'll never make that distance in time." Arashi was troubled. How were they going to get to Naruto fast enough to stop whatever was happening to him?

"Leave that to me." Mori set down a simple cloth sack that buckled and clanked when it was moved. "Mr. Uzumaki is not the only man with a strength in speed. I also have my own means of moving quickly, not nearly as impressive but functional enough."

Mori clapped his hands together heavily and then held them palms out forming a half remembered seal in each.

"Sen'Yuu!" He spoke with ancient command and the air began to stir, rapidly whirling, branching and coalescing into something else entirely. At the end of the jutsu there were two greyish beasts composed of nothing but the wind and spirit particles.

"These will get us to the village within the hour. They are very fast, so keep your wits about you." Mori picked up the clinking sack again and strode up to one of the beasts that gurgled as he approached.

"What are they?" Arashi tentatively touched the other and felt the oddest sensation of squirming skin under his fingertips as the thing moved to face him. It was very ugly with a piggish nose and bulbous unseeing eyes that had no pupils. Snakelike appendages coiled and grew out of the head connected to a four-legged body that closely resembled an overgrown panther.

"They," Mori hopped onto the back of his beast, "are Sen'Yuu, elemental guardians, sometimes called gargoyles if you can believe that. Mine is Nerti, and yours is Taws. They keep the different elements in line most of the time, but some may be summoned in special circumstances such as this. Now I suggest you get on your ride Arashi-san, or be left behind. We've no time to wait for your jitters to calm themselves."

Mori hooked an arm under each side of his beast's head and held on as the thing took off suddenly leaving Arashi in a cloud of dust. The newly created young man flinched away from the remaining Sen'Yuu as it whined at him, obviously wanting to join in the race.

"How the heck can you tell the difference...?" The red head mumbled as Mori disappeared into the mouth of the tunnel. Taws butted its head under his arm, as if to say, get a move on slow poke! "Alright," Arashi sighed with resignation, "just don't make me regret this okay? It's weird enough as it is." The red head had some trouble getting on but no sooner was he seated the way Mori had been than the elemental took off, so fast that the next breath he took was a quarter of a kilometer into the tunnel. It wasn't long before Mori's flapping robes came into view and the beast that he was on thundered ahead.

"Damn it old man, you didn't say this would happen! I can't feel my legs anymore!" Arashi shouted up from his position hunkered down on the beast's back.

"I said we'd be going fast! That should have cleared things up for you!" Mori urged his elemental to a quicker pace. "Sen'Yuu have no slow mode so you'll have to get used to it!"

"I was afraid of that!" Arashi stuck his head into the crook of the Sen'Yuu's neck and closed his eyes.

_I am never doing this again!_ He thought with most unhappily as the tunnel whistled past his ears. _Never, EVER again! _

---

He lay gasping for air in the quiet dark, half starved for a moment of reprieve from the lancing aches that shot though his body. His skin was clammy and freezing but he felt as if an inferno had been lit ablaze underneath it and had burned its way up into his lungs making it difficut to breathe. So hot! It was so hot, and his hair had matted with perspiration sticking to his forehead. He'd been able to struggle out of that death trap of a jacket but no more as he lay feverishly in a cold sweat. He shook and heaved with the painful burbling of an upset stomach and the acid bile in his throat that threatened to rise up at any given time; and his head, his head throbbed with a growing agony just under the jawline and stabbing behind the eyes.

He was pitiful. Uzumaki Naruto lay clawing at the ground and growling at nothing. He'd managed to inch his way along the ripped up grass and dirt to the edge of the cliff and was hanging his head over the side when he felt a particularly potent throb smash through his skull.

It was at that moment that even had he been lucid enough to try he would have been unable to hold back the ragged cry that was ripped from his lips. He clutched at his head and screamed like lightening to the heavens.

Everything came crashing down.

Memories, emotions, one after the other swamped his senses with such confusion and chaos that there was scarcely anything left of him. They thundered through him to wrap almost insiduously around his rawest feelings and desires in a flashing panoply of black and red. Red, red, red like an avenger, black like hate, swirling, swirling, always a step away.

"Sasu-ke-teme," he gritted through his teeth as his mind began to play tricks on his vision. "Sasuke, get back here you bastard..." He struggled to his knees and swayed drunkenly as his sight wavered and showed him only a hazy view of the world. His arms flailed outwards and desprately grasped at that fleeting shadow that was always just out of reach, mocking him.

"Te-**me!** I'll kick your ass if you don't get back here!" The shadow flickered. "Be that way then," Naruto sulked deliriously, "I don't wanna chase you anyway!" The young shinobi waited only momentarily before lunging at the shadow and then falling flat on his stomach. His fingers still pawed at the dirt even though there was nothing to hold onto. Why wasn't there anything to hold onto? Why didn't the bastard want to come home? He chanced to look at the ruins of Konoha then, broken buildings and streets like crushed bones.

That was right, home was a mess...Maybe if he fixed it Teme would come back? Teme would have to come back!

"I'll do it," his fevered mind made itself up, "I'll fix it all. Then he'll come back and we can get Sakura and we can, we can..."

He pushed himself unsteadily to his feet while heaving with the exertion.

"We can all be together again." He mumbled faintly as the last shreds of his sanity escaped and left him with a manic will to mend everything in sight. All at once his chakra exploded out of his body, spilling in waves and flooding the sky with the electric blue of its brilliance. It blanketed everything down to the last blade of grass like a holy blessing and in a minute Konoha began to writh, sinuous as a pit of snakes. Timbers thrashed and stonework ground as it was lifted and played with as if by some giant hand. On top of the mountain the jinchuuriki laughed euphorically, fitting the pieces together in a giant dance of wood, stone, and chakra. Creation had begun.

Perhaps he would remember the feeling some day, of being so vast and small at the same time that nothing was left a mystery and all things were new again; but, for that moment, he was so caught up in the strength of what he was doing that straight thought was an impossibility. He was so focused in fact that he did not notice the arrival of Kakashi, Sakura, Yamato, and both Sannin. The chaos moving below had made it difficult for any of them to get close to Naruto's location. There was wind everywhere.

"Naruto, what are you doing!" Tsunade shouted over the wind. Surely he wasn't so far gone that he couldn't understand her.

"I'm fixing things!" His voice was an echo of a shattered mind, and his expression so earth shakingly unhindered that it looked as if it would break. "If I fix things then Sasuke will come back! He has to!" It was the happy reasoning of a madman. Had he been sane enough to think about what he was saying he would have called himself stupid for thinking in such a way.

Sakura brought her hands to her mouth and nearly cried. It was the first time she had heard Naruto say the Uchiha's name in over two years. If Naruto would only mention _him_ by name under forced circumstances...There had to be pain there that she couldn't even touch. It was too deep. It was killing him.

"Naruto! Stop it! You'll hurt everyone with this! You can get him back some other way. JUST STOP!" the kunoichi screamed at him. He had to stop. There were people down there!

Naruto looked angry that she would even suggest it and turned away with a huff. His head was splitting with agony and his entire skeleton rattled with the fury of his energy, pulling his body apart at the seams; but everything, pain, responsibility, they seemed so far away.

"He's going to tear the whole damn thing apart." Jiraiya said grimly. "Isn't there anything that can stop him?" The frog hermit crossed his arms and let his gaze skim over the destruction happening below.

"We came too late unfortunately." Yamato spoke this time in his usual sleepy drawl. "If we'd gotten here earlier I might've been able to suppress the symptoms. Now that he's started this mess there's nothing we can do but evacuate."

"Correct," the Hokage bowed her head in defeat, "Not even I can match the amount of chakra he's emitting at this point. Even if we did somehow manage to halt his actions the village would be completely crushed as a result. All we can hope for now is that he's sane enough to finish what he's started without too much damage."

Kakashi, ever observant, wasn't watching his former student. His eye was fixed on a point somewhere just beyond the lost jinchuuriki. There, barely discernable in its wraithlike way stood a figure of menacing quality. It was a thing of nightmares with its wildly waving robes and faceless aspect. On either side of the being were a pair of hideous creatures that faded and solidified with every gust of air. In every terror tale Kakashi had ever heard or read about nothing quite compared with the way these beings presented themselves. Why had no one else noticed them? He was about to draw attention to the things when, without warning, Sakura darted away from his side and dashed at Naruto's swaying form.

"Wait, Sakura!" Kakashi sprinted after the fleeting female a second too late. She reached the blonde shinobi first and grabbed his arms, pinning them to his sides.

"STOP THIS!" She screamed at him. "I don't care what kind of promise you made me! I don't care if we never get him back! Just stop this! PLEASE!"

She stumbled as she was ripped away by a stronger pair of arms.

"Sakura! Don't get near him, in this state he's unstable and no one knows what he's capable of." Kakashi placed an iron grip on the struggling kunoichi's wrists. She watched helplessly as the one person who inspired everything in her looked back with a dazed, almost dead visage mixed with an unreadable emotion.

"Please, that's not Naruto. Let me go!" She pulled and pushed against her captor, who for his own reasons wished he could comply. At that moment however he had more than one problem to deal with and Sakura needed to be restrained for him to deal with them.

"I know it's hard but try to understand. He has to overcome this on his own. We can't help here, although...we have other things to worry about, like that."

Kakashi stared steadily at the wind whipped figure that he had spotted before. When Sakura turned to look at what caught the sharingan-user's attention her eyes widened.

"What is that?" she asked tremulously.

"I have no clue," Kakashi squinted at it, "but I think we're about to find out."

---

The ride through the tunnel to Konoha was as hectic and brain scattering as Arashi had imagined it would be. The twists and turns were so sudden and sharp that he swore he must have left his stomach around a corner some ways back. Mori, curse the rotten bastard, didn't seem to be having any troubles at all. In fact he seemed to be enjoying the ride.

The end of the tunnel came up so quickly that Arashi almost didn't have time to see the startled looks on the faces of the guards that would have cast the genjustu on him had he been going slow enough. As it was there were several factors that prevented this, one being that the village outside was in a state of turmoil and flying pieces of building and structure were everywhere. Some things were half-fused together with chakra and others completed but for the most part is was a whirling tornado of severed parts just begging to crash down and crush someone. Arashi really didn't like it when the Sen'Yuu he was riding plowed straight into it.

"Are you crazy!" He yelled at Mori over the turbulent din. "We'll be killed in this!"

Mori didn't bother to answer, or he may not have heard the red head as the Sen'Yuu growled and cleanly dodged any and all debris in their way. Their riders clung on tightly when the beasts finally cleared the worst of the chaos and sped towards the source: a brightly shining figure atop a crumbled mountain. The Sen'Yuu leaped from the base to the top in a single bound and slid into a perfect landing. Mori dismounted with ease. Arashi was not so lucky. He groaned and fell sideways off his mount and sprawled flatly onto the ground, head still spinning.

"Never again...ugh." he murmered queasily, and said nothing else for the time being.

Mori shook out his shoulders, ignoring the fallen boy, and took stock of the situation. There he was, Naruto in all his madness, swaying with the force of his own chakra and clearly under a massive amount of pressure. This was only the beginning. If that pressure were to release the hidden village of Konoha would become flater than the Suna desert in the blink of an eye. Mori would have to act, and quickly.

His interest was sidetracked however, by a pink haired young woman running up to Naruto, followed shortly by a tall man who was most certainly a jounin by the look of him. There was a brief struggle and then both man and woman stared at him. They were obviously friends of Naruto, and Mori doubted they would let him near his student without a fight. Ah, complications.

He began the long stride to where the two people stood behind the occupied jinchuuriki. As he approached they took a defensive stance and eyed him suspiciously. He didn't blame them but it was highly inconveniant.

"Greetings." He bowed openly. "I see that you are having a bit of trouble with my pupil."

"Naruto, is training under you? Who are you?" The silver haired jounin flicked a kunai to the ready.

"That is unimportant at the moment, as you can see, we do not have much time. Mr. Uzumaki is in a state of flux that should not be occuring as it is. I have come to correct this. If you will allow me of course." Mori spread his hands in a gesture of unassumed permisson.

"What can you do?" The kunoichi shifted closer to Naruto. A fruitless, but brave effort to protect the young man. "Forgive me for being suspicious but this is hardly the time for the 'unexpected saviour' to make an appearance. Kakashi asked you a question. Who are you!" She glared at him with fiery eyes, determined and sparking with anger.

"I am...partially the reason Naruto is in this condition. Please, I understand your concern for his well being, and I would much rather have your consent to help here than to force the issue, but I will if I must." Mori stepped forwards with the full intention of forcing the woman aside should she decline. For a moment he was almost sure that he would have to. Her gaze steeled with resistance before it dropped and she stepped out of the way.

"Go ahead." She uttered softly. "I'll take any chance to get him back the way he was." She brought her icy glare back up to Mori's featureless face. "But I warn you, if you harm him, I'll kill you."

Mori didn't doubt that the woman would certainly try. Her respected her words with a nod and the truth.

"He will feel pain, I am sorry to say, but my methods do and will work. He's been through these before." Mori opened the sack he was holding and held up two of the Raccoglitori bracelets. "They should suppress his chakra and restrain him from injuring himself until I can gauge the cause of all this. He is progressing far too rapidly...even for a man of his strength this event will most assuredly kill him if not curtailed."

"You know what it is?"

"I do." Mori stepped away from the young woman and carefully made his way towards his student. "Although at times I wish I did not."

The old hermit stalked up to Naruto with the intent of snapping the two ankle Raccoglitori into place. He was nearly half way there when a wall of chakra splashed its way out of its host and stalled the man from progressing any further.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The sound was so unlike the boy that Mori scarcely recognized it. It was too light, too calm, and utterly dangerous. It was insanity. Naruto turned, and on his face was the most frighteningly contorted cross between euphoria and psychotic sadness. "I'm not finished yet."

The blonde twisted one of his hands and Mori was sent flying violently backwards. He mentally cringed at his foolishness. Of course the boy would sense his presence, as close as he'd gotten. Within that distance Naruto was likely to be hyper aware of everything around himself, right down to the last ant.

While still in flight Mori called on the Sen'Yuu, and directed them.

"Nerti! Taws! Bind him!"

One of the very interesting things about Sen'Yuu is that they are impervious to their own element, which is why when the crazed jinchuuriki reacted to their attack, his chakra defence was about as effective as wet tissue paper. All Naruto had time to do in his degraded state was stare wide eyed at the otherworldly creatures as they ripped through his shield as if it were nothing. Only moments later he was knocked to the ground and pinned under massive air pressure as the elementals went to work on holding him down. Mori, who had finally landed, pushed himself to his feet and brushed the dirt from his robes.

"Well!" He exclaimed. "You certainly haven't lost your touch for surprises Mr. Uzumaki!" He grabbed the fallen sack of Raccoglitori and their counterparts as he passed them. "But I'm afraid it's a bit too early in the evening to be throwing a party, wouldn't you say?" He stood against the whirling jets of air and crouched down over his wildly struggling student. "I am sorry about all this, but it will have to end. I daresay it is past your bedtime boy." Mori held up an etched bracelet, shining blue in the chakra light that was still flowing out and away from the fallen shinobi's body. "I trust you remember this?" The desert hermit shook the metal ring in front of Naruto's eyes. He stilled.

"Good." Mori opened the bracelet with a small click. "You also remember then, what happens when you fight it?"

Naruto's stared silently at the man who was ruining, spoiling, DESTROYING EVERYTHING!

He spat in Mori's face.

The desert hermit flinched as the flying spittle landed squarly in the center of what would have been his mouth had it not been covered by bandages. Oh, so that was how it was eh? No matter, he could always beat the tar out of the little pest and call it training. First things first, get the boy sane enough to recall what civillity was and then force feed him the entire Miss Manners Encyclopaedia on Etiquette. Yes, that would do nicely. Mori flipped open the other Raccoglittori and then began placing them one by one on Naruto's ankles and wrists. Each time one was snapped in place a little bit of the boy's chakra stopped flowing.

When the last one was attached Mori dismissed the Sen'Yuu to settle the mess that the blonde had made below the mountain, gently of course. They melded in with the dying winds, settling the pieces that had yet to be completed, and all the while Naruto's eyes watched, burning with a murderous light.

"I'll kill you..." He whispered. "I'll kill you. **I'll kill you. I'LL KILL YOU!**" He writhed and struggled against the weight of the anvil-like bracelets and screamed at that faceless bastard who dared to stop him.

The desert hermit looked on unaffected. As far as he was concerned this was just another temper tantrum to be dealt with.

"You are infinitely puzzling my young fellow." Mori pointed his hands at both sets of Raccoglitori. "Why you should always insist on the hardest road is beyond my comprehension. In the meantime I think it would be much better for everyone's health if you went to sleep for a little while." He twisted his wrists rapidly and uttered the binding incantation. "_S'blocchi di meno_."

All at once Naruto's glaring eyes bulged and fired with sudden exertion and the weight of a hundred kilos on all his limbs. Spirit energy flickered and winked out of existance. His mouth clamped stubbornly shut to keep the sound of his shouting in although some grating noises of frustrated pain leaked out. To one kunoichi they were louder than thunder.

"What have you done to him!" Sakura yelled and rushed forwards. She was immediately blocked by the tatter-sleeved arm of the stranger who stood before the fallen shinobi's still struggling body. She could barely sense his chakra.

"I have done as I said I would. I told you this would cause him pain but he is restrained and can no longer harm himself or anyone else for that matter. He will be asleep shortly."

The person turned and cast around for something, and apparently finding it, called towards the direction he had come from.

"Arashi-san, do come make yourself useful and stop lying in the dirt like that. Mr. Uzumaki needs to be relocated as soon as possible, if you please."

Kakashi flinched at the sound, slightly.

"Keep your toga on you trigger happy warlock! I don't suppose the words 'slow down' mean anything at all to you?"

A short, dusky skinned, blue-eyed redhead made himself known by shouting loudly and rolling himself to his feet after having been, as the stranger had stated, flat on the ground. When the taller man did not respond and instead returned to Naruto's side, the redhead growled.

"Bastard..."

Kakashi clearly hear the youth say it, the explicative was so like another tempermental young man that for a moment the jounin could have sworn it was the same person.

While Kakashi was pondering these things, two Sannin and one rather surprised ANBU were watching the whole exchange with stunned observation. Tsunade was the first to break out of the function numbing fugue and marched over to where Naruto now lay still with lazily closing eyes. She had a few choice words for her new guests.

"Who the hell are you?" She placed herself directly in Mori's path between himself and the now sedated jinchuuriki. "And how did you get into my village?"

The desert hermit said nothing for the longest time. Whether he was unsure of how to react or just plain didn't want to Arashi knew that Mori had better answer, and the quicker the better. Tsunade was starting to get that look in her eye.

"Hey old man, if you want to live I suggest you answer the lady while she's still friendly. Otherwise we're both going to get our asses kicked back to that dust bowl of a rock you live on. Kages tend to get pissed when you invade their territory, especially her." Arashi whispered on his way by to kneal down next to Sakura who was hovering over Naruto's body and checking it for damage with a chakra scan.

"Hey," he said, crouched down, "I'm Arashi. Anything I can do to help?"

"Only if you can mend tissue with your bare hands. Otherwise you sit down and shut up while I work." Sakura snapped without looking at him. He stayed respectfully quiet. She was grateful.

Her hands deftly ghosted over the jinchuuriki's form filled with the faint glow of chakra. Naruto's bones and oragans were still in tact as far as she could tell but the skin had begun to break down on the cellular level. She was repairing it as best she could while waiting for Tsunade to finish questioning the new arrivals. Sweat broke out on her forehead with the effort. Broken bones she could mend easily if they were a clean break. Shattered ones were a little tougher. Cellular damage was taking it to the brink of her abilities to fix. Stupid, stupid Naruto!

A salty droplet worked it's way out of the corner of her eye and splashed onto her steadily working hands.

"So, how do you know the idiot anyway." She spoke without betraying her inner raging at the stupidity of the whole thing. Talking and healing Naruto seemed to be the only normal things left in the world to do, so she did them.

"Do you mean the idiot over there or the one over here?" Arashi reffered to Mori and Naruto and couldn't resist smirking.

"This idiot." Sakura bent a little closer to Naruto's ribs, only to check for cracks of course. It had nothing to do with how the person behind her sounded almost exactly like the blonde shinobi currently receiving her care.

"Long story short, I've know him since he was born, and you really are better off not asking how."

"I'll ask anyway. How?"

"Well," Arashi sighed, "that's more complicated than even I care to know. When he wakes up I'll ask him about it for you alright? I get the feeling he'd be a little miffed if I told anyone about that stuff, especially you."

Saukra's brow furrowed in concern. Her? Why her?

"That's hard to believe." She snorted in a most unladylike way, which was more like her than anything else. "Naruto's never cared what other people think of him no matter what the truth was. The fact that you're even here proves that to me."

"How's that?"

"You wouldn't be here trying to help if you didn't know what's inside of him. Since you're here that means you don't mind the fact that there's a monster in there as he's obviously told you."

"I said I've known him all his life right? It's kind of hard to keep a secret like that locked up."

"I don't buy it. He never said anything about you, and Naruto can't keep his mouth shut about things he likes. So who are you? Some kind of power leech like the lords?"

"Nothing like that." Arashi peered at her work curiously. "I'm just here to make sure bastard over there doesn't do anything stupid."

"Like breaking into the village?"

"Minus a few infractions," Arashi laughed nervously, "he's been teaching Naruto how to be what he is."

"And what _is_ Naruto?" Sakura asked with a sharp edge to her voice, warning Arashi that he was treading on thin ice.

"You guys call them jinchuuriki. If they have another name I don't know it." Arashi shrugged. "The fact is that Naruto's never had a guide into this, he was just thrown in. You ever see a toddler get into the wrong end of the pool and start to sink? That's Naruto, all his life in the deep end without swimming lessons."

Sakura relaxed considerably. This man--he wasn't all bad. "You...understand a lot more than I thought. I'm sorry. It's just that everyone and their dog has either tried to kill him or use him and I've gotten sick of it!"

"That makes both of us, which is why I'm here to make sure that the smart ass trading witty remarks with your Hokage doesn't try anything stupid like coerce blondie here into another power game. He's been using Naruto, for what I have no idea, but by the sounds of it it's some silly saviour business. You know the type. 'Only one man can save the world.' That kind of bullshit."

"That bastard!" Sakura seethed, adopting Naruto's favourite expression. "Who does he think he is! I'll smack him so hard his ancestors will feel it if he tries anything!"

"Ditto." Arashi smiled and looked over his shoulder to see Mori trying to explain himself out from under the Hokage's glaring anger.

"Now that we have something in common," Sakura rose to her feet and dusted her hands off, " you want to give me a hand with bouzo on the ground here?"

"Sure," Arashi got up,"but I don't think we'll be able to lift him. Those things on his arms and legs make him ten times heavier than he is."

"Who said you were going to lift anything?" Sakura bent down and hoisted Naruto over her shoulder with ease. " I just need you to take his things and go get a space ready for him at the hospital. They're most likely panicking down there so tell them Sakura sent you okay?"

Arashi gaped openly at her monsterous strength. "You got it..." He said weakly.

Sakura smiled genuinely and went to go speak to the others on the top of the mountain. Arashi shook his head and gathering up Naruto's discarded jacket and unclipped sword, hopped away down the cliff face. His mind swarmed with infromation, some more than others.

_No wonder he likes her..._

His newly formed brain computed with realization.

_She's as freaky as he is._

---


End file.
